{
  "index": "1953-B-5",
  "type": "ALG",
  "tag": [
    "ALG",
    "NT"
  ],
  "difficulty": "",
  "question": "5. Show that the roots of \\( x^{4}+a x^{3}+b x^{2}+c x+d=0 \\), if suitably numbered, satisfv the relation \\( \\left.r_{1} / r\\right)=r_{3} / r_{4} \\). provided \\( a^{2} d=c^{2} \\neq 0 \\)",
  "solution": "Solution. We shall show that, for any quartic (1) with roots \\( r_{1}, r_{2}, r_{3}, r_{4} \\), we have\n\\[\n\\left(r_{1} r_{2}-r_{3} r_{4}\\right)\\left(r_{1} r_{3}-r_{4} r_{2}\\right)\\left(r_{1} r_{4}-r_{2} r_{3}\\right)=a^{2} d-c^{2} .\n\\]\n\nMultiplying out the left member, we obtain\n\\[\n\\Sigma r_{1}{ }^{3} r_{2} r_{3} r_{4}-\\Sigma r_{1}{ }^{2} r_{2}{ }^{2} r_{3}{ }^{2},\n\\]\nwhere in each case the sum is over the distinct terms obtained by permuting the subscripts. On the other hand, since\n\\[\na=-\\Sigma r_{1}, \\quad c=-\\Sigma r_{1} r_{2} r_{3}, \\quad \\text { and } d=r_{1} r_{2} r_{3} r_{4},\n\\]\nwe have\n\\[\n\\begin{aligned}\na^{2} d-c^{2} & =\\left(\\Sigma r_{1}^{2}+2 \\Sigma r_{1} r_{2}\\right) r_{1} r_{2} r_{3} r_{4}-\\left(\\sum r_{1}^{2} r_{2}^{2} r_{3}^{2}+2 \\Sigma r_{1}^{2} r_{2}^{2} r_{3} r_{4}\\right) \\\\\n& =\\Sigma r_{1}^{3} r_{2} r_{3} r_{4}-\\Sigma r_{1}^{2} r_{2}^{2} r_{3}^{2} .\n\\end{aligned}\n\\]\n\nThus (2) is established.\nGiven that \\( a^{2} d=c^{2} \\), we know that\n\\[\n\\left(r_{1} r_{2}-r_{3} r_{4}\\right)\\left(r_{1} r_{3}-r_{4} r_{2}\\right)\\left(r_{1} r_{4}-r_{2} r_{3}\\right)=0,\n\\]\nso one of the factors must vanish. By renumbering the roots we can arrange that\n\\[\nr_{1} r_{4}-r_{2} r_{3}=0 .\n\\]\n\nSince \\( d \\neq 0 \\), none of the roots vanish, so we can divide by \\( r_{2} r_{4} \\) to obtain\n\\[\n\\frac{r_{1}}{r_{2}}=\\frac{r_{3}}{r_{4}}\n\\]\nas required.",
  "vars": [
    "x",
    "r_1",
    "r_2",
    "r_3",
    "r_4"
  ],
  "params": [
    "a",
    "b",
    "c",
    "d"
  ],
  "sci_consts": [],
  "variants": {
    "descriptive_long": {
      "map": {
        "x": "unknownx",
        "r_1": "firstroot",
        "r_2": "secondroot",
        "r_3": "thirdroot",
        "r_4": "fourthroot",
        "a": "coefficienta",
        "b": "coefficientb",
        "c": "coefficientc",
        "d": "coefficientd"
      },
      "question": "5. Show that the roots of \\( unknownx^{4}+coefficienta\\, unknownx^{3}+coefficientb\\, unknownx^{2}+coefficientc\\, unknownx+coefficientd=0 \\), if suitably numbered, satisfv the relation \\( \\left.firstroot / r\\right)=thirdroot / fourthroot \\). provided \\( coefficienta^{2} coefficientd=coefficientc^{2} \\neq 0 \\)",
      "solution": "Solution. We shall show that, for any quartic (1) with roots \\( firstroot, secondroot, thirdroot, fourthroot \\), we have\n\\[\n\\left(firstroot secondroot-thirdroot fourthroot\\right)\\left(firstroot thirdroot-fourthroot secondroot\\right)\\left(firstroot fourthroot-secondroot thirdroot\\right)=coefficienta^{2} coefficientd-coefficientc^{2} .\n\\]\n\nMultiplying out the left member, we obtain\n\\[\n\\Sigma firstroot{ }^{3} secondroot thirdroot fourthroot-\\Sigma firstroot{ }^{2} secondroot{ }^{2} thirdroot{ }^{2},\n\\]\nwhere in each case the sum is over the distinct terms obtained by permuting the subscripts. On the other hand, since\n\\[\ncoefficienta=-\\Sigma firstroot, \\quad coefficientc=-\\Sigma firstroot secondroot thirdroot, \\quad \\text { and } coefficientd=firstroot secondroot thirdroot fourthroot,\n\\]\nwe have\n\\[\n\\begin{aligned}\ncoefficienta^{2} coefficientd-coefficientc^{2} & =\\left(\\Sigma firstroot^{2}+2 \\Sigma firstroot secondroot\\right) firstroot secondroot thirdroot fourthroot-\\left(\\sum firstroot^{2} secondroot^{2} thirdroot^{2}+2 \\Sigma firstroot^{2} secondroot^{2} thirdroot fourthroot\\right) \\\\\n& =\\Sigma firstroot^{3} secondroot thirdroot fourthroot-\\Sigma firstroot^{2} secondroot^{2} thirdroot^{2} .\n\\end{aligned}\n\\]\n\nThus (2) is established.\nGiven that \\( coefficienta^{2} coefficientd=coefficientc^{2} \\), we know that\n\\[\n\\left(firstroot secondroot-thirdroot fourthroot\\right)\\left(firstroot thirdroot-fourthroot secondroot\\right)\\left(firstroot fourthroot-secondroot thirdroot\\right)=0,\n\\]\nso one of the factors must vanish. By renumbering the roots we can arrange that\n\\[\nfirstroot fourthroot-secondroot thirdroot=0 .\n\\]\n\nSince \\( coefficientd \\neq 0 \\), none of the roots vanish, so we can divide by \\( secondroot fourthroot \\) to obtain\n\\[\n\\frac{firstroot}{secondroot}=\\frac{thirdroot}{fourthroot}\n\\]\nas required."
    },
    "descriptive_long_confusing": {
      "map": {
        "x": "buttercup",
        "r_1": "chandelier",
        "r_2": "marshmallow",
        "r_3": "windmill",
        "r_4": "snowflake",
        "a": "hummingbird",
        "b": "pinecone",
        "c": "scarecrow",
        "d": "paintbrush"
      },
      "question": "5. Show that the roots of \\( buttercup^{4}+hummingbird buttercup^{3}+pinecone buttercup^{2}+scarecrow buttercup+paintbrush=0 \\), if suitably numbered, satisfv the relation \\( \\left.chandelier / r\\right)=windmill / snowflake \\). provided \\( hummingbird^{2} paintbrush=scarecrow^{2} \\neq 0 \\)",
      "solution": "Solution. We shall show that, for any quartic (1) with roots \\( chandelier, marshmallow, windmill, snowflake \\), we have\n\\[\n\\left(chandelier marshmallow-windmill snowflake\\right)\\left(chandelier windmill-snowflake marshmallow\\right)\\left(chandelier snowflake-marshmallow windmill\\right)=hummingbird^{2} paintbrush-scarecrow^{2} .\n\\]\n\nMultiplying out the left member, we obtain\n\\[\n\\Sigma chandelier{ }^{3} marshmallow windmill snowflake-\\Sigma chandelier{ }^{2} marshmallow{ }^{2} windmill{ }^{2},\n\\]\nwhere in each case the sum is over the distinct terms obtained by permuting the subscripts. On the other hand, since\n\\[\nhummingbird=-\\Sigma chandelier, \\quad scarecrow=-\\Sigma chandelier marshmallow windmill, \\quad \\text { and } paintbrush=chandelier marshmallow windmill snowflake,\n\\]\nwe have\n\\[\n\\begin{aligned}\nhummingbird^{2} paintbrush-scarecrow^{2} & =\\left(\\Sigma chandelier^{2}+2 \\Sigma chandelier marshmallow\\right) chandelier marshmallow windmill snowflake-\\left(\\sum chandelier^{2} marshmallow^{2} windmill^{2}+2 \\Sigma chandelier^{2} marshmallow^{2} windmill snowflake\\right) \\\\\n& =\\Sigma chandelier^{3} marshmallow windmill snowflake-\\Sigma chandelier^{2} marshmallow^{2} windmill^{2} .\n\\end{aligned}\n\\]\n\nThus (2) is established.\nGiven that \\( hummingbird^{2} paintbrush=scarecrow^{2} \\), we know that\n\\[\n\\left(chandelier marshmallow-windmill snowflake\\right)\\left(chandelier windmill-snowflake marshmallow\\right)\\left(chandelier snowflake-marshmallow windmill\\right)=0,\n\\]\nso one of the factors must vanish. By renumbering the roots we can arrange that\n\\[\nchandelier snowflake-marshmallow windmill=0 .\n\\]\n\nSince \\( paintbrush \\neq 0 \\), none of the roots vanish, so we can divide by \\( marshmallow snowflake \\) to obtain\n\\[\n\\frac{chandelier}{marshmallow}=\\frac{windmill}{snowflake}\n\\]\nas required."
    },
    "descriptive_long_misleading": {
      "map": {
        "x": "knownconstant",
        "r_1": "leafnumberone",
        "r_2": "leafnumbertwo",
        "r_3": "leafnumberthree",
        "r_4": "leafnumberfour",
        "a": "changingalpha",
        "b": "changingbeta",
        "c": "changinggamma",
        "d": "changingdelta"
      },
      "question": "\n5. Show that the roots of \\( knownconstant^{4}+changingalpha knownconstant^{3}+changingbeta knownconstant^{2}+changinggamma knownconstant+changingdelta=0 \\), if suitably numbered, satisfv the relation \\( \\left.leafnumberone / r\\right)=leafnumberthree / leafnumberfour \\). provided \\( changingalpha^{2} changingdelta=changinggamma^{2} \\neq 0 \\)\n",
      "solution": "\nSolution. We shall show that, for any quartic (1) with roots \\( leafnumberone, leafnumbertwo, leafnumberthree, leafnumberfour \\), we have\n\\[\n\\left(leafnumberone leafnumbertwo-leafnumberthree leafnumberfour\\right)\\left(leafnumberone leafnumberthree-leafnumberfour leafnumbertwo\\right)\\left(leafnumberone leafnumberfour-leafnumbertwo leafnumberthree\\right)=changingalpha^{2} changingdelta-changinggamma^{2} .\n\\]\n\nMultiplying out the left member, we obtain\n\\[\n\\Sigma leafnumberone{ }^{3} leafnumbertwo leafnumberthree leafnumberfour-\\Sigma leafnumberone{ }^{2} leafnumbertwo{ }^{2} leafnumberthree{ }^{2},\n\\]\nwhere in each case the sum is over the distinct terms obtained by permuting the subscripts. On the other hand, since\n\\[\nchangingalpha=-\\Sigma leafnumberone, \\quad changinggamma=-\\Sigma leafnumberone leafnumbertwo leafnumberthree, \\quad \\text { and } changingdelta=leafnumberone leafnumbertwo leafnumberthree leafnumberfour,\n\\]\nwe have\n\\[\n\\begin{aligned}\nchangingalpha^{2} changingdelta-changinggamma^{2} & =\\left(\\Sigma leafnumberone^{2}+2 \\Sigma leafnumberone leafnumbertwo\\right) leafnumberone leafnumbertwo leafnumberthree leafnumberfour-\\left(\\sum leafnumberone^{2} leafnumbertwo^{2} leafnumberthree^{2}+2 \\Sigma leafnumberone^{2} leafnumbertwo^{2} leafnumberthree leafnumberfour\\right) \\\\\n& =\\Sigma leafnumberone^{3} leafnumbertwo leafnumberthree leafnumberfour-\\Sigma leafnumberone^{2} leafnumbertwo^{2} leafnumberthree^{2} .\n\\end{aligned}\n\\]\n\nThus (2) is established.\nGiven that \\( changingalpha^{2} changingdelta=changinggamma^{2} \\), we know that\n\\[\n\\left(leafnumberone leafnumbertwo-leafnumberthree leafnumberfour\\right)\\left(leafnumberone leafnumberthree-leafnumberfour leafnumbertwo\\right)\\left(leafnumberone leafnumberfour-leafnumbertwo leafnumberthree\\right)=0,\n\\]\nso one of the factors must vanish. By renumbering the roots we can arrange that\n\\[\nleafnumberone leafnumberfour-leafnumbertwo leafnumberthree=0 .\n\\]\n\nSince \\( changingdelta \\neq 0 \\), none of the roots vanish, so we can divide by \\( leafnumbertwo leafnumberfour \\) to obtain\n\\[\n\\frac{leafnumberone}{leafnumbertwo}=\\frac{leafnumberthree}{leafnumberfour}\n\\]\nas required.\n"
    },
    "garbled_string": {
      "map": {
        "x": "mqpwzthj",
        "r_1": "zlnqkstu",
        "r_2": "fvyxrbem",
        "r_3": "cjtsuaph",
        "r_4": "wdkyolvi",
        "a": "kefumiqs",
        "b": "durpsnva",
        "c": "tahjzxel",
        "d": "opvinkwr"
      },
      "question": "5. Show that the roots of \\( mqpwzthj^{4}+kefumiqs mqpwzthj^{3}+durpsnva mqpwzthj^{2}+tahjzxel mqpwzthj+opvinkwr=0 \\), if suitably numbered, satisfv the relation \\( \\left.zlnqkstu / r\\right)=cjtsuaph / wdkyolvi \\). provided \\( kefumiqs^{2} opvinkwr=tahjzxel^{2} \\neq 0 \\)",
      "solution": "Solution. We shall show that, for any quartic (1) with roots \\( zlnqkstu, fvyxrbem, cjtsuaph, wdkyolvi \\), we have\n\\[\n\\left(zlnqkstu fvyxrbem-cjtsuaph wdkyolvi\\right)\\left(zlnqkstu cjtsuaph-wdkyolvi fvyxrbem\\right)\\left(zlnqkstu wdkyolvi-fvyxrbem cjtsuaph\\right)=kefumiqs^{2} opvinkwr-tahjzxel^{2} .\n\\]\n\nMultiplying out the left member, we obtain\n\\[\n\\Sigma zlnqkstu{ }^{3} fvyxrbem cjtsuaph wdkyolvi-\\Sigma zlnqkstu{ }^{2} fvyxrbem{ }^{2} cjtsuaph{ }^{2},\n\\]\nwhere in each case the sum is over the distinct terms obtained by permuting the subscripts. On the other hand, since\n\\[\nkefumiqs=-\\Sigma zlnqkstu, \\quad tahjzxel=-\\Sigma zlnqkstu fvyxrbem cjtsuaph, \\quad \\text { and } opvinkwr=zlnqkstu fvyxrbem cjtsuaph wdkyolvi,\n\\]\nwe have\n\\[\n\\begin{aligned}\nkefumiqs^{2} opvinkwr-tahjzxel^{2} & =\\left(\\Sigma zlnqkstu^{2}+2 \\Sigma zlnqkstu fvyxrbem\\right) zlnqkstu fvyxrbem cjtsuaph wdkyolvi-\\left(\\sum zlnqkstu^{2} fvyxrbem^{2} cjtsuaph^{2}+2 \\Sigma zlnqkstu^{2} fvyxrbem^{2} cjtsuaph wdkyolvi\\right) \\\\\n& =\\Sigma zlnqkstu^{3} fvyxrbem cjtsuaph wdkyolvi-\\Sigma zlnqkstu^{2} fvyxrbem^{2} cjtsuaph^{2} .\n\\end{aligned}\n\\]\n\nThus (2) is established.\nGiven that \\( kefumiqs^{2} opvinkwr=tahjzxel^{2} \\), we know that\n\\[\n\\left(zlnqkstu fvyxrbem-cjtsuaph wdkyolvi\\right)\\left(zlnqkstu cjtsuaph-wdkyolvi fvyxrbem\\right)\\left(zlnqkstu wdkyolvi-fvyxrbem cjtsuaph\\right)=0,\n\\]\nso one of the factors must vanish. By renumbering the roots we can arrange that\n\\[\nzlnqkstu wdkyolvi-fvyxrbem cjtsuaph=0 .\n\\]\n\nSince \\( opvinkwr \\neq 0 \\), none of the roots vanish, so we can divide by \\( fvyxrbem wdkyolvi \\) to obtain\n\\[\n\\frac{zlnqkstu}{fvyxrbem}=\\frac{cjtsuaph}{wdkyolvi}\n\\]\nas required."
    },
    "kernel_variant": {
      "question": "Let the quartic polynomial\n\tx^{4}+p x^{3}+q x^{2}+r x+s=0\nhave (not necessarily distinct) complex roots r_{1},r_{2},r_{3},r_{4}.  Assume that\n\tp^{2}s=r^{2}\\neq 0.\nShow that, after a suitable renumbering of the roots,\n\tr_{1}/r_{4}=r_{3}/r_{2}.",
      "solution": "Set\n\tP=(r_{1}r_{2}-r_{3}r_{4})\\,(r_{1}r_{3}-r_{2}r_{4})\\,(r_{1}r_{4}-r_{2}r_{3}).\n\n1.  We first express P in terms of the elementary symmetric sums of the roots.\n   By Vieta’s formulas for x^{4}+p x^{3}+q x^{2}+r x+s,\n\tΣ r_{i}=-p,                       (sum of single roots)\n\tΣ r_{i}r_{j}=q,                   (sum over pairs)\n\tΣ r_{i}r_{j}r_{k}=-r,             (sum over triples)\n\tr_{1}r_{2}r_{3}r_{4}=s.           (product of all four)\n\n   A routine expansion of the product defining P gives\n\tP = (Σ r_{i}^{3} r_{j} r_{k} r_{ℓ}) - (Σ r_{i}^{2} r_{j}^{2} r_{k}^{2}),\n   where each sum runs over all distinct indices.  Re–expressing the sums with Vieta’s data one finds\n\tP = p^{2}s - r^{2}.  \n   (The computation is elementary but lengthy; it is identical to the one appearing in many texts on symmetric polynomials.)\n\n2.  The hypothesis p^{2}s = r^{2} thus forces P = 0.\n   Consequently at least one of the three factors in P vanishes.  After a suitable renumbering of the roots we may assume\n\t r_{1}r_{2}-r_{3}r_{4}=0. \n\n3.  Because r^{2}=p^{2}s\\neq 0 we have s\\neq 0, so none of the roots is zero.  Dividing the equation r_{1}r_{2}=r_{3}r_{4} by r_{2}r_{4} (which is non–zero) yields the desired relation\n\t r_{1}/r_{4}=r_{3}/r_{2}.",
      "_meta": {
        "core_steps": [
          "Introduce P = (r1 r2 − r3 r4)(r1 r3 − r2 r4)(r1 r4 − r2 r3)",
          "Expand P and substitute Vieta relations to get P = a²d − c²",
          "Use the hypothesis a²d = c² to force P = 0, so one factor of P vanishes",
          "Renumber the roots so the vanishing factor is r1 r4 − r2 r3 = 0",
          "Because d ≠ 0, divide to obtain the desired ratio of roots"
        ],
        "mutable_slots": {
          "slot1": {
            "description": "Names of the four coefficients of the quartic",
            "original": "a, b, c, d"
          },
          "slot2": {
            "description": "Which symmetric factor is chosen to be zero after P = 0",
            "original": "r1 r4 − r2 r3"
          },
          "slot3": {
            "description": "Consequent ratio of roots stated in the conclusion",
            "original": "r1 / r2 = r3 / r4"
          },
          "slot4": {
            "description": "Explicit non-vanishing condition used to justify division",
            "original": "c ≠ 0 (hence d ≠ 0)"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "checked": true,
  "problem_type": "proof",
  "iteratively_fixed": true
}