{
  "index": "1970-B-2",
  "type": "ANA",
  "tag": [
    "ANA",
    "ALG"
  ],
  "difficulty": "",
  "question": "B-2. The time-varying temperature of a certain body is given by a polynomial in the time of degree at most three. Show that the average temperature of the body between 9 A.m. and 3 p.m. can always be found by taking the average of the temperatures at two fixed times, which are independent of which polynomial occurs. Also, show that these two times are 10:16 A.M. and 1:44 P.M. to the nearest minute.",
  "solution": "B-2 Let \\( P(t)=a t^{3}+b t^{2}+c t+d \\). The equation\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2 T} \\int_{-T}^{T} P(t) d t=\\frac{1}{2}\\left\\{P\\left(t_{1}\\right)+P\\left(t_{2}\\right)\\right\\}\n\\]\nis satisfied for all values of \\( a, b, c \\), and \\( d \\) if and only if \\( t_{2}=-t_{1}= \\pm T / \\sqrt{3} \\). If \\( T=3 \\mathrm{hrs}, T / \\sqrt{3} \\approx 1 \\mathrm{hr}, 43.92 \\mathrm{~min} \\). Therefore, in the case considered, the critical times are 1 hour 44 minutes each side of noon.",
  "vars": [
    "P",
    "t",
    "t_1",
    "t_2"
  ],
  "params": [
    "a",
    "b",
    "c",
    "d",
    "T"
  ],
  "sci_consts": [],
  "variants": {
    "descriptive_long": {
      "map": {
        "P": "tempfunc",
        "t": "timevar",
        "t_1": "firsttime",
        "t_2": "secondtime",
        "a": "coeffa",
        "b": "coeffb",
        "c": "coeffc",
        "d": "coeffd",
        "T": "timehalf"
      },
      "question": "B-2. The time-varying temperature of a certain body is given by a polynomial in the time of degree at most three. Show that the average temperature of the body between 9 A.m. and 3 p.m. can always be found by taking the average of the temperatures at two fixed times, which are independent of which polynomial occurs. Also, show that these two times are 10:16 A.M. and 1:44 P.M. to the nearest minute.",
      "solution": "B-2 Let \\( tempfunc(timevar)=coeffa timevar^{3}+coeffb timevar^{2}+coeffc timevar+coeffd \\). The equation\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2 timehalf} \\int_{-timehalf}^{timehalf} tempfunc(timevar) d timevar=\\frac{1}{2}\\left\\{tempfunc\\left(firsttime\\right)+tempfunc\\left(secondtime\\right)\\right\\}\n\\]\nis satisfied for all values of \\( coeffa, coeffb, coeffc \\), and \\( coeffd \\) if and only if \\( secondtime=-firsttime= \\pm timehalf / \\sqrt{3} \\). If \\( timehalf=3 \\mathrm{hrs}, timehalf / \\sqrt{3} \\approx 1 \\mathrm{hr}, 43.92 \\mathrm{~min} \\). Therefore, in the case considered, the critical times are 1 hour 44 minutes each side of noon."
    },
    "descriptive_long_confusing": {
      "map": {
        "P": "honeycomb",
        "t": "waterfall",
        "t_1": "sunflower",
        "t_2": "blackberry",
        "a": "lighthouse",
        "b": "stormcloud",
        "c": "dragonfly",
        "d": "peppermint",
        "T": "sandcastle"
      },
      "question": "B-2. The time-varying temperature of a certain body is given by a polynomial in the time of degree at most three. Show that the average temperature of the body between 9 A.m. and 3 p.m. can always be found by taking the average of the temperatures at two fixed times, which are independent of which polynomial occurs. Also, show that these two times are 10:16 A.M. and 1:44 P.M. to the nearest minute.",
      "solution": "B-2 Let \\( honeycomb(waterfall)=lighthouse waterfall^{3}+stormcloud waterfall^{2}+dragonfly waterfall+peppermint \\). The equation\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2 sandcastle} \\int_{-sandcastle}^{sandcastle} honeycomb(waterfall) \\, d\\, waterfall = \\frac{1}{2}\\left\\{ honeycomb\\left( sunflower \\right) + honeycomb\\left( blackberry \\right) \\right\\}\n\\]\nis satisfied for all values of \\( lighthouse, stormcloud, dragonfly \\), and \\( peppermint \\) if and only if \\( blackberry = -sunflower = \\pm sandcastle / \\sqrt{3} \\). If \\( sandcastle = 3 \\\\mathrm{hrs}, \\; sandcastle / \\sqrt{3} \\approx 1 \\\\mathrm{hr}, 43.92 \\\\mathrm{~min} \\). Therefore, in the case considered, the critical times are 1 hour 44 minutes each side of noon."
    },
    "descriptive_long_misleading": {
      "map": {
        "P": "transcendental",
        "t": "spacecoord",
        "t_1": "lateinstant",
        "t_2": "earlyinstant",
        "a": "antifactor",
        "b": "noncoefficient",
        "c": "variableless",
        "d": "intercepterror",
        "T": "momentless"
      },
      "question": "B-2. The time-varying temperature of a certain body is given by a polynomial in the time of degree at most three. Show that the average temperature of the body between 9 A.m. and 3 p.m. can always be found by taking the average of the temperatures at two fixed times, which are independent of which polynomial occurs. Also, show that these two times are 10:16 A.M. and 1:44 P.M. to the nearest minute.",
      "solution": "B-2 Let \\( transcendental(spacecoord)=antifactor\\, spacecoord^{3}+noncoefficient\\, spacecoord^{2}+variableless\\, spacecoord+intercepterror \\). The equation\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2 momentless} \\int_{-momentless}^{momentless} transcendental(spacecoord) \\, d spacecoord=\\frac{1}{2}\\left\\{transcendental\\left(lateinstant\\right)+transcendental\\left(earlyinstant\\right)\\right\\}\n\\]\nis satisfied for all values of \\( antifactor, noncoefficient, variableless \\), and \\( intercepterror \\) if and only if \\( earlyinstant=-lateinstant= \\pm momentless / \\sqrt{3} \\). If \\( momentless=3 \\mathrm{hrs}, momentless / \\sqrt{3} \\approx 1 \\mathrm{hr}, 43.92 \\mathrm{~min} \\). Therefore, in the case considered, the critical times are 1 hour 44 minutes each side of noon."
    },
    "garbled_string": {
      "map": {
        "P": "rklmvtqw",
        "t": "zsxjnqpd",
        "t_1": "mvhqektr",
        "t_2": "gdtlwzcn",
        "a": "pfoxlqre",
        "b": "vqtkhsam",
        "c": "lbdqgwie",
        "d": "xyrompvs",
        "T": "sjqzdbki"
      },
      "question": "B-2. The time-varying temperature of a certain body is given by a polynomial in the time of degree at most three. Show that the average temperature of the body between 9 A.m. and 3 p.m. can always be found by taking the average of the temperatures at two fixed times, which are independent of which polynomial occurs. Also, show that these two times are 10:16 A.M. and 1:44 P.M. to the nearest minute.",
      "solution": "B-2 Let \\( rklmvtqw(zsxjnqpd)=pfoxlqre zsxjnqpd^{3}+vqtkhsam zsxjnqpd^{2}+lbdqgwie zsxjnqpd+xyrompvs \\). The equation\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2 sjqzdbki} \\int_{-sjqzdbki}^{sjqzdbki} rklmvtqw(zsxjnqpd) \\, d zsxjnqpd = \\frac{1}{2}\\left\\{ rklmvtqw\\left(mvhqektr\\right)+rklmvtqw\\left(gdtlwzcn\\right) \\right\\}\n\\]\nis satisfied for all values of \\( pfoxlqre, vqtkhsam, lbdqgwie \\), and \\( xyrompvs \\) if and only if \\( gdtlwzcn=-mvhqektr= \\pm sjqzdbki / \\sqrt{3} \\). If \\( sjqzdbki=3 \\mathrm{hrs}, sjqzdbki / \\sqrt{3} \\approx 1 \\mathrm{hr}, 43.92 \\mathrm{~min} \\). Therefore, in the case considered, the critical times are 1 hour 44 minutes each side of noon."
    },
    "kernel_variant": {
      "question": "Inside a photographic dark-room the luminous intensity \\(I(t)\\), measured \\(t\\) hours after midnight, is known – for the whole night from \\(7{:}00\\ \\text{P.M.}\\) to \\(5{:}00\\ \\text{A.M.}\\) – to be a real polynomial in \\(t\\) of degree at most five.  We set \\(t=0\\) at midnight; hence the twelve-hour interval is \\([-5,5]\\).\n\na)  Prove that there exist three positive weights  \n\\[\n\\lambda_{1},\\ \\lambda_{2},\\ \\lambda_{3}>0,\\qquad\n\\lambda_{1}+\\lambda_{2}+\\lambda_{3}=1,\n\\]\nand three clock-times (independent of the particular quintic that occurs)  \n\\[\n\\tau_{1},\\ \\tau_{2},\\ \\tau_{3}\\in[-5,5],\n\\]\nsuch that for every polynomial \\(I\\) of degree at most five one has the exact quadrature\n\\[\n\\frac1{10}\\int_{-5}^{5} I(t)\\,dt\n\\;=\\;\n\\lambda_{1}I(\\tau_{1})+\\lambda_{2}I(\\tau_{2})+\\lambda_{3}I(\\tau_{3}).\n\\tag{\\(\\star\\)}\n\\]\n\nb)  Show that, to the nearest second, the unique choice with all \\(\\lambda_{i}>0\\) is  \n\\[\n\\begin{aligned}\n&\\tau_{1}=8{:}07{:}37\\ \\text{P.M.},\\qquad \n  \\tau_{2}=12{:}00{:}00\\ \\text{A.M.},\\qquad\n  \\tau_{3}=3{:}52{:}23\\ \\text{A.M.},\\\\[2mm]\n&\\lambda_{1}=\\lambda_{3}=\\dfrac{5}{18},\\qquad\n \\lambda_{2}= \\dfrac49 .\n\\end{aligned}\n\\]\n\nc)  Prove that no quadrature formula that uses only two evaluation times can satisfy \\((\\star)\\) for every quintic, and that any formula employing three evaluation times and positive weights must, up to relabelling of the nodes, coincide with the one found in part (b).",
      "solution": "Throughout we abbreviate\n\\[\n\\langle f\\rangle \\;:=\\; \\frac1{10}\\int_{-5}^{5} f(t)\\,dt,\n\\]\nso that \\(\\langle f\\rangle\\) is the average value of \\(f\\) over the night.\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n1.  Reduction to even polynomials\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nBecause the integration interval \\([-5,5]\\) is symmetric, any quintic can be written as\n\\[\nI(t)=E(t)+O(t),\\qquad E(-t)=E(t),\\; O(-t)=-O(t).\n\\]\nSince \\(\\langle O\\rangle =0\\), only the even part matters.  For degree \\(\\le 5\\)\n\\[\nE(t)\\in V:=\\operatorname{span}\\{1,\\; t^{2},\\; t^{4}\\}\\qquad(\\dim V=3).\n\\tag{1}\n\\]\nHence reproducing \\(\\langle I\\rangle\\) for every quintic is equivalent to reproducing it for every \\(p\\in V\\).\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n2.  A symmetric three-point rule\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nBecause both the interval and the even subspace are symmetric, we look for a\nquadrature of the form\n\\[\n\\langle f\\rangle = \\lambda\\bigl[f(-\\alpha)+f(\\alpha)\\bigr]+\\mu f(0),\n\\qquad \\lambda,\\mu>0,\\quad \\alpha>0.\n\\tag{2}\n\\]\n(The two outer nodes carry the same weight \\(\\lambda\\) by symmetry.)\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n3.  Moment equations\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nApplying (2) to the basis \\(\\{1,t^{2},t^{4}\\}\\) of \\(V\\) yields\n\n\\[\n\\begin{array}{rcl}\n\\text{degree }0: & 2\\lambda+\\mu &= 1,\\\\[2mm]\n\\text{degree }2: & 2\\lambda\\alpha^{2} &= \\dfrac{25}{3},\\\\[2mm]\n\\text{degree }4: & 2\\lambda\\alpha^{4} &= 125.\n\\end{array}\n\\tag{3}\n\\]\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n4.  Solving for \\(\\alpha,\\lambda,\\mu\\)\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nDividing the last two equations gives\n\\[\n\\alpha^{2}= \\frac{125}{25/3}=15\n\\quad\\Longrightarrow\\quad\n\\alpha=\\sqrt{15}.\n\\]\nSubstituting into the degree-2 equation,\n\\[\n2\\lambda\\cdot 15=\\frac{25}{3}\\;\\;\\Longrightarrow\\;\\;\n\\lambda=\\frac{25}{90}=\\frac{5}{18}.\n\\]\nFinally \\(\\mu = 1-2\\lambda = 1-\\dfrac{10}{18}=\\dfrac{4}{9}\\), and all weights are positive.\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n5.  Converting \\(\\alpha\\) to clock-times\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n\\[\n\\alpha=\\sqrt{15}\\text{ h}\\approx 3.872\\,983\\text{ h}\n       = 3\\text{ h }52\\text{ min }22.73\\text{ s}\n       \\approx 3{:}52{:}23.\n\\]\nHence, relative to midnight,\n\\[\n\\tau_{1}=-\\alpha = -3{:}52{:}23 = 8{:}07{:}37\\ \\text{P.M.},\\quad\n\\tau_{2}=0=12{:}00{:}00\\ \\text{A.M.},\\quad\n\\tau_{3}=+\\alpha = 3{:}52{:}23\\ \\text{A.M.}.\n\\tag{4}\n\\]\nThus part (b) is proved.\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n6.  Exactness for all quintics\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nFormula (2) is exact on \\(V\\) by construction and annihilates every odd\npolynomial because the two outer weights coincide.  Consequently it is exact\nfor every polynomial of degree at most five, proving part (a).\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n7.  Why two nodes cannot suffice\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nAssume, towards contradiction, that there exist nodes \\(c_{1},c_{2}\\) and\npositive weights \\(w_{1},w_{2}\\;(w_{1}+w_{2}=1)\\) such that\n\\[\n\\langle f\\rangle = w_{1}f(c_{1})+w_{2}f(c_{2})\\qquad\n\\text{for all } \\deg f\\le 5 .\n\\tag{5}\n\\]\n\nLet \\(h(t):=(t-c_{1})(t-c_{2})\\) (degree \\(2\\)).  \nBecause (5) is exact up to degree \\(5\\), it is exact for\n\\(t^{j}h(t)\\) for \\(j=0,1,2,3\\) (degrees \\(2,3,4,5\\) respectively).  \nAt each node \\(t=c_{k}\\) the factor \\(h(t)\\) vanishes, so the right-hand\nside equals \\(0\\); thus\n\\[\n\\int_{-5}^{5} t^{j}h(t)\\,dt =0\\qquad (j=0,1,2,3).\n\\tag{6}\n\\]\nHence \\(h\\) is orthogonal, in the \\(L^{2}\\)-inner product\n\\(\\langle f,g\\rangle_{2}:=\\int_{-5}^{5}f(t)g(t)\\,dt\\),  \nto every polynomial of degree \\(\\le 3\\).\n\nHowever, the subspace \\(\\mathcal P_{3}\\) of polynomials of degree at most\nthree is \\(4\\)-dimensional, while the space of degree-\\(2\\) polynomials is\n\\(3\\)-dimensional.  The only degree-\\(2\\) polynomial orthogonal to\n\\(\\mathcal P_{3}\\) is the zero polynomial, contradicting \\(h\\not\\equiv 0\\).\nTherefore no two-node rule can satisfy \\((\\star)\\).  \n(Equivalently, the classical bound “\\(n\\) nodes \\(\\Longrightarrow\\) degree of\nexactness \\(\\le 2n-1\\)” shows that with \\(n=2\\) one can integrate\nat most degree \\(3\\), strictly less than \\(5\\).)\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n8.  Uniqueness of the three-node rule\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nSuppose another three-point formula with positive weights satisfies\n\\((\\star)\\):\n\\[\n\\langle f\\rangle \\;=\\; \\sum_{i=1}^{3}\\lambda_{i}f(\\xi_{i}),\\qquad\n\\lambda_{i}>0,\\ \\sum\\lambda_{i}=1.\n\\tag{7}\n\\]\nLet\n\\[\nH(t):=\\prod_{i=1}^{3}(t-\\xi_{i})\n\\quad(\\deg H=3).\n\\]\nExactness up to degree \\(5\\) implies that (7) holds for\n\\(t^{j}H(t)\\) with \\(j=0,1,2\\).  Since each factor vanishes at every node,\nthe right-hand side is \\(0\\), whence\n\\[\n\\int_{-5}^{5} t^{j} H(t)\\,dt=0\\qquad(j=0,1,2).\n\\tag{8}\n\\]\nThat is, \\(H\\) is orthogonal to every polynomial of degree \\(\\le 2\\).\nAmong monic polynomials of degree \\(3\\) the unique one with this\northogonality property on \\([-5,5]\\) is (a constant multiple of) the rescaled\nLegendre polynomial:\n\\[\nP_{3}\\!\\Bigl(\\frac{t}{5}\\Bigr)\n =\\frac12\\Bigl(5\\Bigl(\\frac{t}{5}\\Bigr)^{3}\n              -3\\Bigl(\\frac{t}{5}\\Bigr)\\Bigr)\n =\\frac1{50}\\bigl(t^{3}-15t\\bigr).\n\\tag{9}\n\\]\nConsequently \\(H(t)=\\kappa\\,(t^{3}-15t)\\) for some \\(\\kappa\\neq 0\\), so its\nroots are \\(\\{0,\\pm\\sqrt{15}\\}\\).  After relabelling,\n\\[\n\\{\\xi_{1},\\xi_{2},\\xi_{3}\\}=\\{-\\sqrt{15},\\,0,\\,\\sqrt{15}\\}.\n\\tag{10}\n\\]\n\nWith these nodes, solving the moment equations (3) gives\n\\(\\lambda_{1}=\\lambda_{3}=\\dfrac{5}{18},\\; \\lambda_{2}=\\dfrac49\\) exactly\nas in Section 4.  Hence the rule found in parts (a)–(b) is the\nonly three-point rule with positive weights that reproduces the average of\nevery quintic, completing part (c).",
      "metadata": {
        "replaced_from": "harder_variant",
        "replacement_date": "2025-07-14T19:09:31.593316",
        "was_fixed": false,
        "difficulty_analysis": "1. Higher degree.  The original asked for cubics (degree ≤3); here we treat quintics (degree ≤5), which requires a three-point Gauss–Legendre quadrature instead of the simple two-point rule.\n\n2. Additional unknowns.  Both the nodes (times) and the weights must now be determined; the original needed only the nodes (weights were both ½).\n\n3. Deeper theory.  The solution invokes orthogonality of Legendre polynomials, Gauss quadrature, moment matching, and uniqueness arguments—concepts absent from the cubic case.\n\n4. Multiple steps.  Matching three moments, computing exact integrals, proving positivity, impossibility with fewer nodes, and uniqueness collectively demand substantially more algebra and theoretical insight than the single-equation derivation for cubics.\n\n5. Greater technical detail.  Exact numerical conversion to clock-times to the nearest second, handling symmetry, and rigorous dimensional counting elevate the computational and conceptual load.\n\nHence the enhanced variant is markedly more complex and challenging than both the original problem and the current kernel version."
      }
    },
    "original_kernel_variant": {
      "question": "Inside a photographic dark-room the luminous intensity \\(I(t)\\), measured \\(t\\) hours after midnight, is known – for the whole night from \\(7{:}00\\ \\text{P.M.}\\) to \\(5{:}00\\ \\text{A.M.}\\) – to be a real polynomial in \\(t\\) of degree at most five.  We set \\(t=0\\) at midnight; hence the twelve-hour interval is \\([-5,5]\\).\n\na)  Prove that there exist three positive weights  \n\\[\n\\lambda_{1},\\ \\lambda_{2},\\ \\lambda_{3}>0,\\qquad\n\\lambda_{1}+\\lambda_{2}+\\lambda_{3}=1,\n\\]\nand three clock-times (independent of the particular quintic that occurs)  \n\\[\n\\tau_{1},\\ \\tau_{2},\\ \\tau_{3}\\in[-5,5],\n\\]\nsuch that for every polynomial \\(I\\) of degree at most five one has the exact quadrature\n\\[\n\\frac1{10}\\int_{-5}^{5} I(t)\\,dt\n\\;=\\;\n\\lambda_{1}I(\\tau_{1})+\\lambda_{2}I(\\tau_{2})+\\lambda_{3}I(\\tau_{3}).\n\\tag{\\(\\star\\)}\n\\]\n\nb)  Show that, to the nearest second, the unique choice with all \\(\\lambda_{i}>0\\) is  \n\\[\n\\begin{aligned}\n&\\tau_{1}=8{:}07{:}37\\ \\text{P.M.},\\qquad \n  \\tau_{2}=12{:}00{:}00\\ \\text{A.M.},\\qquad\n  \\tau_{3}=3{:}52{:}23\\ \\text{A.M.},\\\\[2mm]\n&\\lambda_{1}=\\lambda_{3}=\\dfrac{5}{18},\\qquad\n \\lambda_{2}= \\dfrac49 .\n\\end{aligned}\n\\]\n\nc)  Prove that no quadrature formula that uses only two evaluation times can satisfy \\((\\star)\\) for every quintic, and that any formula employing three evaluation times and positive weights must, up to relabelling of the nodes, coincide with the one found in part (b).",
      "solution": "Throughout we abbreviate\n\\[\n\\langle f\\rangle \\;:=\\; \\frac1{10}\\int_{-5}^{5} f(t)\\,dt,\n\\]\nso that \\(\\langle f\\rangle\\) is the average value of \\(f\\) over the night.\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n1.  Reduction to even polynomials\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nBecause the integration interval \\([-5,5]\\) is symmetric, any quintic can be written as\n\\[\nI(t)=E(t)+O(t),\\qquad E(-t)=E(t),\\; O(-t)=-O(t).\n\\]\nSince \\(\\langle O\\rangle =0\\), only the even part matters.  For degree \\(\\le 5\\)\n\\[\nE(t)\\in V:=\\operatorname{span}\\{1,\\; t^{2},\\; t^{4}\\}\\qquad(\\dim V=3).\n\\tag{1}\n\\]\nHence reproducing \\(\\langle I\\rangle\\) for every quintic is equivalent to reproducing it for every \\(p\\in V\\).\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n2.  A symmetric three-point rule\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nBecause both the interval and the even subspace are symmetric, we look for a\nquadrature of the form\n\\[\n\\langle f\\rangle = \\lambda\\bigl[f(-\\alpha)+f(\\alpha)\\bigr]+\\mu f(0),\n\\qquad \\lambda,\\mu>0,\\quad \\alpha>0.\n\\tag{2}\n\\]\n(The two outer nodes carry the same weight \\(\\lambda\\) by symmetry.)\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n3.  Moment equations\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nApplying (2) to the basis \\(\\{1,t^{2},t^{4}\\}\\) of \\(V\\) yields\n\n\\[\n\\begin{array}{rcl}\n\\text{degree }0: & 2\\lambda+\\mu &= 1,\\\\[2mm]\n\\text{degree }2: & 2\\lambda\\alpha^{2} &= \\dfrac{25}{3},\\\\[2mm]\n\\text{degree }4: & 2\\lambda\\alpha^{4} &= 125.\n\\end{array}\n\\tag{3}\n\\]\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n4.  Solving for \\(\\alpha,\\lambda,\\mu\\)\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nDividing the last two equations gives\n\\[\n\\alpha^{2}= \\frac{125}{25/3}=15\n\\quad\\Longrightarrow\\quad\n\\alpha=\\sqrt{15}.\n\\]\nSubstituting into the degree-2 equation,\n\\[\n2\\lambda\\cdot 15=\\frac{25}{3}\\;\\;\\Longrightarrow\\;\\;\n\\lambda=\\frac{25}{90}=\\frac{5}{18}.\n\\]\nFinally \\(\\mu = 1-2\\lambda = 1-\\dfrac{10}{18}=\\dfrac{4}{9}\\), and all weights are positive.\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n5.  Converting \\(\\alpha\\) to clock-times\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n\\[\n\\alpha=\\sqrt{15}\\text{ h}\\approx 3.872\\,983\\text{ h}\n       = 3\\text{ h }52\\text{ min }22.73\\text{ s}\n       \\approx 3{:}52{:}23.\n\\]\nHence, relative to midnight,\n\\[\n\\tau_{1}=-\\alpha = -3{:}52{:}23 = 8{:}07{:}37\\ \\text{P.M.},\\quad\n\\tau_{2}=0=12{:}00{:}00\\ \\text{A.M.},\\quad\n\\tau_{3}=+\\alpha = 3{:}52{:}23\\ \\text{A.M.}.\n\\tag{4}\n\\]\nThus part (b) is proved.\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n6.  Exactness for all quintics\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nFormula (2) is exact on \\(V\\) by construction and annihilates every odd\npolynomial because the two outer weights coincide.  Consequently it is exact\nfor every polynomial of degree at most five, proving part (a).\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n7.  Why two nodes cannot suffice\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nAssume, towards contradiction, that there exist nodes \\(c_{1},c_{2}\\) and\npositive weights \\(w_{1},w_{2}\\;(w_{1}+w_{2}=1)\\) such that\n\\[\n\\langle f\\rangle = w_{1}f(c_{1})+w_{2}f(c_{2})\\qquad\n\\text{for all } \\deg f\\le 5 .\n\\tag{5}\n\\]\n\nLet \\(h(t):=(t-c_{1})(t-c_{2})\\) (degree \\(2\\)).  \nBecause (5) is exact up to degree \\(5\\), it is exact for\n\\(t^{j}h(t)\\) for \\(j=0,1,2,3\\) (degrees \\(2,3,4,5\\) respectively).  \nAt each node \\(t=c_{k}\\) the factor \\(h(t)\\) vanishes, so the right-hand\nside equals \\(0\\); thus\n\\[\n\\int_{-5}^{5} t^{j}h(t)\\,dt =0\\qquad (j=0,1,2,3).\n\\tag{6}\n\\]\nHence \\(h\\) is orthogonal, in the \\(L^{2}\\)-inner product\n\\(\\langle f,g\\rangle_{2}:=\\int_{-5}^{5}f(t)g(t)\\,dt\\),  \nto every polynomial of degree \\(\\le 3\\).\n\nHowever, the subspace \\(\\mathcal P_{3}\\) of polynomials of degree at most\nthree is \\(4\\)-dimensional, while the space of degree-\\(2\\) polynomials is\n\\(3\\)-dimensional.  The only degree-\\(2\\) polynomial orthogonal to\n\\(\\mathcal P_{3}\\) is the zero polynomial, contradicting \\(h\\not\\equiv 0\\).\nTherefore no two-node rule can satisfy \\((\\star)\\).  \n(Equivalently, the classical bound “\\(n\\) nodes \\(\\Longrightarrow\\) degree of\nexactness \\(\\le 2n-1\\)” shows that with \\(n=2\\) one can integrate\nat most degree \\(3\\), strictly less than \\(5\\).)\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n8.  Uniqueness of the three-node rule\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nSuppose another three-point formula with positive weights satisfies\n\\((\\star)\\):\n\\[\n\\langle f\\rangle \\;=\\; \\sum_{i=1}^{3}\\lambda_{i}f(\\xi_{i}),\\qquad\n\\lambda_{i}>0,\\ \\sum\\lambda_{i}=1.\n\\tag{7}\n\\]\nLet\n\\[\nH(t):=\\prod_{i=1}^{3}(t-\\xi_{i})\n\\quad(\\deg H=3).\n\\]\nExactness up to degree \\(5\\) implies that (7) holds for\n\\(t^{j}H(t)\\) with \\(j=0,1,2\\).  Since each factor vanishes at every node,\nthe right-hand side is \\(0\\), whence\n\\[\n\\int_{-5}^{5} t^{j} H(t)\\,dt=0\\qquad(j=0,1,2).\n\\tag{8}\n\\]\nThat is, \\(H\\) is orthogonal to every polynomial of degree \\(\\le 2\\).\nAmong monic polynomials of degree \\(3\\) the unique one with this\northogonality property on \\([-5,5]\\) is (a constant multiple of) the rescaled\nLegendre polynomial:\n\\[\nP_{3}\\!\\Bigl(\\frac{t}{5}\\Bigr)\n =\\frac12\\Bigl(5\\Bigl(\\frac{t}{5}\\Bigr)^{3}\n              -3\\Bigl(\\frac{t}{5}\\Bigr)\\Bigr)\n =\\frac1{50}\\bigl(t^{3}-15t\\bigr).\n\\tag{9}\n\\]\nConsequently \\(H(t)=\\kappa\\,(t^{3}-15t)\\) for some \\(\\kappa\\neq 0\\), so its\nroots are \\(\\{0,\\pm\\sqrt{15}\\}\\).  After relabelling,\n\\[\n\\{\\xi_{1},\\xi_{2},\\xi_{3}\\}=\\{-\\sqrt{15},\\,0,\\,\\sqrt{15}\\}.\n\\tag{10}\n\\]\n\nWith these nodes, solving the moment equations (3) gives\n\\(\\lambda_{1}=\\lambda_{3}=\\dfrac{5}{18},\\; \\lambda_{2}=\\dfrac49\\) exactly\nas in Section 4.  Hence the rule found in parts (a)–(b) is the\nonly three-point rule with positive weights that reproduces the average of\nevery quintic, completing part (c).",
      "metadata": {
        "replaced_from": "harder_variant",
        "replacement_date": "2025-07-14T01:37:45.475377",
        "was_fixed": false,
        "difficulty_analysis": "1. Higher degree.  The original asked for cubics (degree ≤3); here we treat quintics (degree ≤5), which requires a three-point Gauss–Legendre quadrature instead of the simple two-point rule.\n\n2. Additional unknowns.  Both the nodes (times) and the weights must now be determined; the original needed only the nodes (weights were both ½).\n\n3. Deeper theory.  The solution invokes orthogonality of Legendre polynomials, Gauss quadrature, moment matching, and uniqueness arguments—concepts absent from the cubic case.\n\n4. Multiple steps.  Matching three moments, computing exact integrals, proving positivity, impossibility with fewer nodes, and uniqueness collectively demand substantially more algebra and theoretical insight than the single-equation derivation for cubics.\n\n5. Greater technical detail.  Exact numerical conversion to clock-times to the nearest second, handling symmetry, and rigorous dimensional counting elevate the computational and conceptual load.\n\nHence the enhanced variant is markedly more complex and challenging than both the original problem and the current kernel version."
      }
    }
  },
  "checked": true,
  "problem_type": "proof"
}