Polynomials – Polynomials, Derivatives, and Repeated Roots

polynomials

I want to describe the polynomials with integer coefficients and the property that $f'(x) \mid f(x)$ (the derivative divides the polynomial).

So I know that $f(x)$ divides $g(x)$ if all of $f(x)$'s roots are roots of $g(x)$. I also know that $f'(x)$ has degree one less than $f(x)$. Finally, $f'(x)$ detects multiple roots. If $a$ is a root of $f(x)$ and $f'(x)$, it is at least a double root.

Using these facts I've conjectured that $f(x)$, if it has degree $n$, has 1 root with multiplicity $n$ or 2 roots, one with multiplicity $n-1$. But I can't prove it and I fear that I am making a mistake thinking just about linear terms.

Best Answer

I'll assume you want the divisibility to be in $\mathbb{Q}[x]$. Write $\displaystyle f(x) = \prod_{i=1}^{k} (x - a_i)^{m_i}$ where the $a_i$ are distinct (in $\mathbb{C}$).

Lemma: $\displaystyle \frac{f'(x)}{f(x)} = \sum_{i=1}^{k} \frac{m_i}{x - a_i}$.

This is a direct consequence of the product rule and you do not need to use any calculus to prove it. (That is, you don't need to take logarithms. The derivative can be defined as a totally formal operation on polynomials and this identity holds in $\mathbb{Q}(x)$.)

If $f'(x)$ divides $f(x)$, then $\frac{f'(x)}{f(x)} = \frac{n}{x - a}$ for some $a$. Now, the functions $\frac{1}{x - a}$ are linearly independent (you also do not need to use any calculus to prove this) in $\mathbb{C}(x)$. It follows that this is possible if and only if $f$ has $a$ as a repeated root of multiplicity $n$, so $a$ is the only root.

It follows that $f$ has the form $c(px - q)^n$ for some integers $c, p, q$ with $a, p \neq 0$. (I'm ignoring the degenerate cases.)

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