{
  "index": "1969-A-1",
  "type": "ANA",
  "tag": [
    "ANA",
    "ALG"
  ],
  "difficulty": "",
  "question": "A-1. Let \\( f(x, y) \\) be a polynomial with real coefficients in the real variables \\( x \\) and \\( y \\) defined over the entire \\( x-y \\) plane. What are the possibilities for the range of \\( f(x, y) \\) ?",
  "solution": "A-1 The continuity of \\( f(x, y) \\) implies that the range is connected (i.e., if \\( a, b \\) are in the range and \\( a<c<b \\) then \\( c \\) is in the range). If the range is bounded above and below, then the polynomial \\( f(x, k x) \\) is a constant for each value of \\( k \\) and thus \\( f(x, y) \\) is the constant \\( f(0,0) \\). Thus the only possibilities are: (i) a single point; (ii) a semi-infinite interval with end-point; (iii) a semi-infinite interval without end-point; and (iv) all real numbers.\n\nExamples are easily given for (i), (ii) and (iv). An example for (iii) is harder to find. One way is to have each cross-section of the surface (for fixed \\( y \\) ) be a parabola with a minimum which decreases asymptotically toward some constant as \\( y \\) approaches \\( \\pm \\infty \\). A suitable example is \\( (x y-1)^{2}+x^{2} \\).",
  "vars": [
    "f",
    "x",
    "y"
  ],
  "params": [
    "k",
    "a",
    "b",
    "c"
  ],
  "sci_consts": [],
  "variants": {
    "descriptive_long": {
      "map": {
        "f": "polyfunc",
        "x": "axisvarx",
        "y": "axisvary",
        "k": "slopepar",
        "a": "rangemin",
        "b": "rangemax",
        "c": "middlept"
      },
      "question": "A-1. Let \\( polyfunc(axisvarx, axisvary) \\) be a polynomial with real coefficients in the real variables \\( axisvarx \\) and \\( axisvary \\) defined over the entire \\( axisvarx-axisvary \\) plane. What are the possibilities for the range of \\( polyfunc(axisvarx, axisvary) \\) ?",
      "solution": "A-1 The continuity of \\( polyfunc(axisvarx, axisvary) \\) implies that the range is connected (i.e., if \\( rangemin, rangemax \\) are in the range and \\( rangemin<middlept<rangemax \\) then \\( middlept \\) is in the range). If the range is bounded above and below, then the polynomial \\( polyfunc(axisvarx, slopepar axisvarx) \\) is a constant for each value of \\( slopepar \\) and thus \\( polyfunc(axisvarx, axisvary) \\) is the constant \\( polyfunc(0,0) \\). Thus the only possibilities are: (i) a single point; (ii) a semi-infinite interval with end-point; (iii) a semi-infinite interval without end-point; and (iv) all real numbers.\n\nExamples are easily given for (i), (ii) and (iv). An example for (iii) is harder to find. One way is to have each cross-section of the surface (for fixed \\( axisvary \\) ) be a parabola with a minimum which decreases asymptotically toward some constant as \\( axisvary \\) approaches \\( \\pm \\infty \\). A suitable example is \\( (axisvarx axisvary-1)^{2}+axisvarx^{2} \\)."
    },
    "descriptive_long_confusing": {
      "map": {
        "f": "juniperleaf",
        "x": "parliament",
        "y": "afterglow",
        "k": "bubblewrap",
        "a": "sandstone",
        "b": "moonflower",
        "c": "driftwood"
      },
      "question": "A-1. Let \\( juniperleaf(parliament, afterglow) \\) be a polynomial with real coefficients in the real variables \\( parliament \\) and \\( afterglow \\) defined over the entire \\( parliament-afterglow \\) plane. What are the possibilities for the range of \\( juniperleaf(parliament, afterglow) \\) ?",
      "solution": "A-1 The continuity of \\( juniperleaf(parliament, afterglow) \\) implies that the range is connected (i.e., if \\( sandstone, moonflower \\) are in the range and \\( sandstone<driftwood<moonflower \\) then \\( driftwood \\) is in the range). If the range is bounded above and below, then the polynomial \\( juniperleaf(parliament, bubblewrap\\,parliament) \\) is a constant for each value of \\( bubblewrap \\) and thus \\( juniperleaf(parliament, afterglow) \\) is the constant \\( juniperleaf(0,0) \\). Thus the only possibilities are: (i) a single point; (ii) a semi-infinite interval with end-point; (iii) a semi-infinite interval without end-point; and (iv) all real numbers.\n\nExamples are easily given for (i), (ii) and (iv). An example for (iii) is harder to find. One way is to have each cross-section of the surface (for fixed \\( afterglow \\) ) be a parabola with a minimum which decreases asymptotically toward some constant as \\( afterglow \\) approaches \\( \\pm \\infty \\). A suitable example is \\( (parliament\\,afterglow-1)^{2}+parliament^{2} \\)."
    },
    "descriptive_long_misleading": {
      "map": {
        "f": "nonmapping",
        "x": "verticalvar",
        "y": "horizontalvar",
        "k": "mutablepar",
        "a": "complexnum",
        "b": "imaginarynum",
        "c": "irrationalnum"
      },
      "question": "A-1. Let \\( nonmapping(verticalvar, horizontalvar) \\) be a polynomial with real coefficients in the real variables \\( verticalvar \\) and \\( horizontalvar \\) defined over the entire \\( verticalvar-horizontalvar \\) plane. What are the possibilities for the range of \\( nonmapping(verticalvar, horizontalvar) \\) ?",
      "solution": "A-1 The continuity of \\( nonmapping(verticalvar, horizontalvar) \\) implies that the range is connected (i.e., if \\( complexnum, imaginarynum \\) are in the range and \\( complexnum<irrationalnum<imaginarynum \\) then \\( irrationalnum \\) is in the range). If the range is bounded above and below, then the polynomial \\( nonmapping(verticalvar, mutablepar\\,verticalvar) \\) is a constant for each value of \\( mutablepar \\) and thus \\( nonmapping(verticalvar, horizontalvar) \\) is the constant \\( nonmapping(0,0) \\). Thus the only possibilities are: (i) a single point; (ii) a semi-infinite interval with end-point; (iii) a semi-infinite interval without end-point; and (iv) all real numbers.\n\nExamples are easily given for (i), (ii) and (iv). An example for (iii) is harder to find. One way is to have each cross-section of the surface (for fixed \\( horizontalvar \\) ) be a parabola with a minimum which decreases asymptotically toward some constant as \\( horizontalvar \\) approaches \\( \\pm \\infty \\). A suitable example is \\( (verticalvar\\,horizontalvar-1)^{2}+verticalvar^{2} \\)."
    },
    "garbled_string": {
      "map": {
        "f": "qzxwvtnp",
        "x": "hjgrksla",
        "y": "mnbvcxqe",
        "k": "plmoknij",
        "a": "ujmkolij",
        "b": "xswedcfr",
        "c": "rfvtgbyh"
      },
      "question": "A-1. Let \\( qzxwvtnp(hjgrksla, mnbvcxqe) \\) be a polynomial with real coefficients in the real variables \\( hjgrksla \\) and \\( mnbvcxqe \\) defined over the entire hjgrksla-mnbvcxqe plane. What are the possibilities for the range of \\( qzxwvtnp(hjgrksla, mnbvcxqe) \\) ?",
      "solution": "A-1 The continuity of \\( qzxwvtnp(hjgrksla, mnbvcxqe) \\) implies that the range is connected (i.e., if \\( ujmkolij, xswedcfr \\) are in the range and \\( ujmkolij<rfvtgbyh<xswedcfr \\) then \\( rfvtgbyh \\) is in the range). If the range is bounded above and below, then the polynomial \\( qzxwvtnp(hjgrksla, plmoknij hjgrksla) \\) is a constant for each value of \\( plmoknij \\) and thus \\( qzxwvtnp(hjgrksla, mnbvcxqe) \\) is the constant \\( qzxwvtnp(0,0) \\). Thus the only possibilities are: (i) a single point; (ii) a semi-infinite interval with end-point; (iii) a semi-infinite interval without end-point; and (iv) all real numbers.\n\nExamples are easily given for (i), (ii) and (iv). An example for (iii) is harder to find. One way is to have each cross-section of the surface (for fixed \\( mnbvcxqe \\) ) be a parabola with a minimum which decreases asymptotically toward some constant as \\( mnbvcxqe \\) approaches \\( \\pm \\infty \\). A suitable example is \\( (hjgrksla mnbvcxqe-1)^{2}+hjgrksla^{2} \\)."
    },
    "kernel_variant": {
      "question": "B–1.  Let \\(g(u,v)\\) be a polynomial with real coefficients in the real variables \\(u\\) and \\(v\\), defined on the whole \\(u\\!-\\!v\\) plane.  Describe every subset of \\(\\mathbb{R}\\) that can occur as the range\n\\[\n   g(\\mathbb{R}^2)=\\{g(u,v): (u,v)\\in\\mathbb{R}^2\\}.\n\\]",
      "solution": "Corrected Solution:\n\nStep 1. (Connectedness)  A real polynomial g(u,v) is continuous on the connected set ℝ², so its image g(ℝ²) is a connected subset of ℝ.  Hence g(ℝ²) is either a single point or an interval (finite, half-infinite, or all of ℝ).\n\nStep 2. (If bounded above and below then constant)  Suppose g(ℝ²) were bounded above and below.  Fix any point, say P=(1,2).  For each real slope m consider the line Lₘ through P given by v−2=m(u−1).  Parametrize Lₘ by (u,v)=(1+t,2+mt), t∈ℝ, and set Gₘ(t)=g(1+t,2+mt).  Then Gₘ is a one‐variable real polynomial whose range lies in g(ℝ²).  If g(ℝ²) is bounded, each Gₘ is bounded on ℝ, forcing Gₘ to be constant.  Hence Gₘ(t)≡Gₘ(0)=g(1,2).  Likewise on the vertical line u=1.  Thus g is constant on every line through (1,2), and since every point of ℝ² lies on one of those lines, g is the constant polynomial.\n\nStep 3. (Conclusion on boundedness)  Therefore if g is non-constant, g(ℝ²) cannot be bounded above and below.  By connectedness it must be one of the connected unbounded intervals in ℝ.\n\nStep 4. (Classification of possibilities)\n  • If g is constant, g(ℝ²)={c} for some c∈ℝ.\n  • If g is non-constant, g(ℝ²) is an unbounded connected interval in ℝ.  Up to naming the endpoint it must be one of:\n     (i) closed right-half-line [α,∞),\n    (ii) open right-half-line (α,∞),\n   (iii) closed left-half-line (–∞,β],\n    (iv) open left-half-line (–∞,β),\n     (v) the entire real line ℝ.\n\nThus the only possibilities for g(ℝ²) are:  a single point, any semi-infinite interval (open or closed, to the right or to the left), or all of ℝ.\n\nStep 5. (Examples)\n  • {c}: take g(u,v)=c.\n  • [0,∞): g(u,v)=u²+v².\n  • (0,∞): g(u,v)=(uv−1)²+u⁴ (as in the proposal).\n  • (–∞,0]: g(u,v)=−(u²+v²).\n  • (–∞,0): g(u,v)=−((uv−1)²+u⁴).\n  • ℝ: g(u,v)=u.\n\nNo other connected subsets of ℝ can occur as the range of a real polynomial in two variables.",
      "_meta": {
        "core_steps": [
          "Continuity of a polynomial ⇒ its image is a connected subset of ℝ (an interval or a point).",
          "A non-constant univariate polynomial is unbounded; hence if the bivariate range is bounded, every restriction f(t, k t) must be constant.",
          "Constancy on all lines through the origin forces f to be globally constant.",
          "Therefore the only possible ranges are: a single value, a half-infinite interval (with or without endpoint), or all of ℝ."
        ],
        "mutable_slots": {
          "slot1": {
            "description": "Choice of variable names for the two inputs",
            "original": "x, y"
          },
          "slot2": {
            "description": "Particular one-parameter family of unbounded curves used to reduce f to one variable",
            "original": "Lines y = k x (k ∈ ℝ)"
          },
          "slot3": {
            "description": "Symbol chosen for the slope/parameter of those curves",
            "original": "k"
          },
          "slot4": {
            "description": "Point whose value is used to identify the constant polynomial",
            "original": "(0, 0)"
          },
          "slot5": {
            "description": "Concrete example offered for the half-infinite interval without endpoint",
            "original": "(x y – 1)² + x²"
          },
          "slot6": {
            "description": "Numbering/labeling format for the list of possible ranges",
            "original": "(i), (ii), (iii), (iv)"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "checked": true,
  "problem_type": "proof"
}