Randolph High School Math League 2013-2014 Page 1

Vieta’s Formulas

1 Introduction
In our previous lecture (so long, long, ago...), we explored different types of algebraic manipulations and how having
a knowledge of these can help simplify certain problems.1 In this lesson, we expand this into a class of problems that
revolve around Vieta’s Formulas, which aren’t really formulas in a sense but rather very useful tools for extracting
information about the roots of a polynomial without actually knowing the numerical value of the roots themselves.

2 The Quadratic Case

First, we shall explore the case of the general quadratic. This simplest case of Vieta’s states the following:
Theorem 1. Let r1 and r2 be the roots of the quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0. Then the two identities
b c
r1 + r2 = − , r1 r2 =
a a
both hold.
There are two proofs to this, and both are simple. One revolves around the Quadratic formula, while the other
involves writing ax2 + bx + c = a(x − r1 )(x − r2 ) = ax2 − ax(r1 + r2 ) + ar1 r2 .
This allows us to find the sum and the product of the roots of any quadratic polynomial without actually
computing the roots themselves. (Sounds familiar?)
Example 1. Suppose p and q are the roots of the equation t2 − 7t + 5. Find p2 + q 2 .
Solution. Note that from our Vieta’s Formulas we have p + q = 7 and pq = 5. Therefore

p2 + q 2 = (p + q)2 − 2pq = 72 − 2 · 5 = 39 .


1 1
Example 2. Let m and n be the roots of the equation 2x2 + 15x + 16 = 0. What is the value of + ?
m n
Solution. From Vieta’s Formulas, m + n = − 15
2 and mn =
16
2 = 8. Therefore

1 1 m+n −15/2 15
+ = = = − .
m n mn 8 16

3 The Cubic Case... and Beyond!

To see how Vieta’s Formulas can be expanded beyond quadratics, we look toward the cubic case for help. By using
a similar proof as we did in the previous section, we can write

x3 + bx2 + cx + d = (x − r1 )(x − r2 )(x − r3 )

= x3 − (r1 + r2 + r3 )x2 + (r1 r2 + r2 r3 + r3 r1 )x − r1 r2 r3 .

By compensating for the leading coefficient, we get another set of formulas:

Theorem 2. Let r1 , r2 , r3 be the roots of the cubic equation ax3 + bx2 + cx + d = 0. Then we have
b c d
r1 + r2 + r3 = − , r1 r2 + r2 r3 + r3 r1 = , r1 r2 r3 = − .
a a a
1 Considering that the material in that session consists of basically stuff you should know, it should not make a difference on whether

or not you attended that lecture.

Randolph High School Math League 2013-2014 Page 2

To put this into words, the first equation deals with the sum of the roots taken one at a time, the second with
the sum taken two at a time, and the third taken three at a time (aka the product since there are only three roots).
(Side-note: We call each of these expressions on the right-hand sides symmetric sums, in that swapping the values
of, say, r1 and r2 will not affect the value of the whole expression.) Vieta’s Formulas for polynomials of degree four
or higher are defined similarly, with the first ratio equal to the sum of the roots taken one at a time, the second
equal to the sum taken two at a time, the third taken three at a time, and so on.
Problems involving three or more roots are generally more difficult in that more ingenuity/basing capability is
needed.
Example 3. Suppose p, q, and r are the roots of the polynomial t3 − 2t2 + 3t − 4. Find (p + 1)(q + 1)(r + 1).
Solution. As in Example 1, we expand, except this time we have to be more careful:

(p + 1)(q + 1)(r + 1) = pqr + pq + qr + rp + p + q + r + 1 = 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 10 .


Finally, we’ll end this lecture with a problem that looks challenging at first sight, but is not that difficult... if
you understand Vieta’s Formulas.

Example 4 (AoPS). The roots r1 , r2 , and r3 of x3 − 2x2 − 11x + a satisfy r1 + 2r2 + 3r3 = 0. Find all possible
values of a.
Solution. From Vieta’s Formulas, we have the system of equations

r1 + r2 + r3
 = 2,
r1 r2 + r2 r3 + r3 r1 = −11,

r1 + 2r2 + 3r3 = 0.


Subtracting the first equation from the third one yields r2 + 2r3 = −2, so r2 = 2 − 2r3 . Plugging this back into the
first equation gives r1 + (−2 − 2r3 ) + r3 = 2 =⇒ r1 = r3 + 4. Substituting these expressions for r1 and r2 into the
second equation gives

(−2 − 2r3 )(r3 + 4) + (−2 − 2r3 )r3 + r3 (r3 + 4) = −11

(2 + 2r3 )(r3 + 4) + (2 + 2r3 )r3 − r3 (r3 + 4) = 11
(2r3 + 8 + 2r32 + 8r3 ) + (2r3 + 2r32 ) − (r32 + 4r3 ) = 11
3r32 + 8r3 − 3 = 0
(3r3 − 1)(r3 + 3) = 0
1
r3 = , −3.
3

If r3 = 31 , then r2 = −2 − 2r3 = − 83 and r1 = 4 + r3 = 13

3 , so by Vieta’s a = −r1 r2 r3 = 104
27 . Similarly, if r3 = −3,
then we may easily compute r2 = 4 and r1 = 1, so a = −r1 r2 r3 = 12 . These are our only solutions. 

4 Tips
• Learn to recognize certain algebraic manipulations that lead to symmetric sums. Some of these include
expanding factored expressions, squaring, or combining fractions under a common denominator.

• Be on the lookout for polynomials where one the coefficients is zero. This does not occur very often, but when
it does, it’s designed to help simplify the arithmetic and algebra a bit; take it as a blessing!
 Randolph High School Math League 2013-2014 Page 3

5 Review Problems
These problems are more geared toward the people who did not attend the previous “Algebraic Manipulations”
lecture.
1. Let m and n be the two roots of the equation x2 − 15x + 28 = 0. Find (m + 1)(n + 1).
2. Let g(x) = x3 − 5x2 + 2x − 7, and let the roots of g(x) be p, q, and r. Compute p2 qr + pq 2 r + pqr2 .
2003 1
3. [AMC 10A 2003] What is the sum of the reciprocals of the roots of the equation x + 1 + = 0?
2004 x
1 1 1
4. Let r1 , r2 , and r3 be the roots of the polynomial x3 − 14x + 15x − 16. Compute + + .
r1 r2 r3
5. [AMC 10A 2006] Let a and b be the roots of the equation x2 − mx + 2 = 0. Suppose that a + 1b and b + a1 are
the roots of the equation x2 − px + q = 0. What is q?
6. [Junior Balkan MO 1999] Let a, b, c, x, y be five real numbers such that a3 + ax + y = 0, b3 + bx + y = 0 and
c3 + cx + y = 0. If a, b, c are all distinct numbers prove that their sum is zero.
7. [Math League HS 2011-2012] If a is real, what is the only real number that could be a multiple root of
x3 + ax + 1 = 0?
8. [Putnam 1977] Consider all lines that meet the graph of y = 2x4 + 7x3 + 3x − 5 in four distinct points, (x1 , y1 ),
(x2 , y2 ), (x3 , y3 ), (x4 , y4 ). Show that
x1 + x2 + x3 + x4
4
is independent of the line and find its value.

6 Challenge Problems
Good luck.
9. The polynomial x3 − Ax + 15 has three real roots. Two of these roots sum to 5. What is |A|?
10. [Eotvos 1899] Let x1 and x2 be the roots of the equation x2 − (a + d)x + (ad − bc) = 0. Show that x31 and x32
are the roots of the equation
y 2 − (a3 + d3 + 3abc + 3bcd)y + (ad − bc)3 = 0.

11. [Purple Comet 2003] Let x1 and x2 be the roots of the equation x2 + 3x + 1 = 0. Compute
 2  2
x1 x2
+ .
x2 + 1 x1 + 1

12. [HMMT 2001] Find all the values of m for which the zeros of 2x2 − mx − 8 differ by m − 1.
13. [Brilliant.org] If the quartic x4 + 3x3 + 11x2 + 9x + A has roots k, l, m, and n such that kl = mn, find A.
F 14. [Purple Comet 2010] Let x1 , x2 , and x3 be the roots of the polynomial x3 + 3x + 1. There are relatively prime
positive integers m and n such that
m x21 x22 x23
= + + .
n (5x2 + 1)(5x3 + 1) (5x1 + 1)(5x3 + 1) (5x1 + 1)(5x2 + 1)
Find m + n.
F 15. [USAMO 1984] The product of two of the four roots of the quartic equation x4 − 18x3 + kx2 + 200x − 1984 = 0
is −32. Determine the value of k.
F 16. [ISL 1982] Let p(x) be a cubic polynomial with integer coefficients with leading coefficient 1 and with one of
its roots equal to the product of the other two. Show that 2p(−1) is a multiple of p(1) + p(−1) − 2(1 + p(0)).
Randolph High School Math League 2013-2014 Page 4

7 Answer Key
1. 44
2. 35
3. −1
15
4. 16

5. 6
6. Note that a, b, and c are the roots of the equation t3 + tx + y = 0, so by Vieta’s a + b + c = 0 as desired.
√
3
4
7. 2

8. Consider the equation 2x4 + 7x3 + 3x − 5 = ax + b =⇒ 2x4 + 7x3 + (3 − a)x − (5 + b) = 0. By Vieta’s, the
average of the roots of this equation is constant at −7/2
4 = − 87 .
9. 22
10. By Vieta’s, x1 + x2 = a + d and x1 x2 = ad − bc. Then x31 x32 = (ad − bc)3 and
x31 + x32 = (x1 + x2 )3 − 3x1 x2 (x1 + x2 ) = (a + d)3 − 3(ad − bc)(a + d) = a3 + d3 + 3abc + 3bcd.
Therefore by again applying Vieta’s x31 and x32 are the roots of said quadratic, as desired.
11. 18
12. 6, − 10
3

13. 9
14. 3 + 7 = 10
15. 86
16. Let p(x) = x3 + ax2 + bx + c. It is not difficult to compute that p(1) = 1 + a + b + c, p(−1) = −1 + a − b + c,
and p(0) = c. Plugging these expressions into what we want to prove gives that
2p(−1) 2(−1 + a − b + c) 2(a − 1 + c − b) c−b
= = =1+ .
p(1) + p(−1) − 2(1 + p(0)) (1 + a + b + c) + (−1 + a − b + c) − 2(1 + c) 2(a − 1) a−1
c−b
In order for this to be an integer, must itself be an integer. Let the roots of p(x) be α, β, and αβ. By
a−1
Vieta’s Formulas, we have 
α + β + αβ
 = −a,
αβ + α2 β + αβ 2 = b,

 2 2
α β = −c.
Reckless substitution gives
c−b −α2 β 2 − αβ − α2 β − αβ 2 αβ(α + 1)(β + 1)
= = = αβ.
a−1 −α − β − αβ − 1 (α + 1)(β + 1)
It now suffices
√ to prove that αβ is an integer. From the third equation we know that αβ is either an integer or
of the form n, where n is an integer that is not a perfect square2 . Suppose it is of that latter form. From the
first and second equations we know that −a + 1 = αβ + (α + β + 1) and b = αβ + α2 β + αβ 2 = αβ(1 + α + β)
are both integers. Denoting X = αβ and Y = 1 + α + β, we have that X + Y and XY are both integers. By
Vieta’s, X and Y are thus the roots of a quadratic equation with integer coefficients, which are known to be
√ √
of the form p ± q for integers p, q. However, since X itself is of the form q, X and Y must be negatives of
each other. But then αβ = −(α + β + 1) =⇒ (α + 1)(β + 1) = 0, so either α or β is equal to 1. WLOG let
α = −1. Then we get −a = α + β + αβ = −1 + β − β = −1, so a = 1. But in this case, our original fraction
becomes c−b0 , contradiction. Therefore αβ is indeed an integer.

2 Note that n is not necessarily positive, as αβ can also be imaginary.