MathDB
IMC 2009 Day 2 P4

Source:

July 17, 2014
modular arithmeticalgebrapolynomialIMCcollege contests

Problem Statement

Let pp be a prime number and WFp[x]\mathbf{W}\subseteq \mathbb{F}_p[x] be the smallest set satisfying the following :
(a) x+1Wx+1\in \mathbf{W} and xp2+xp3++x2+2x+1Wx^{p-2}+x^{p-3}+\cdots +x^2+2x+1\in \mathbf{W} (b) For γ1,γ2\gamma_1,\gamma_2 in W\mathbf{W}, we also have γ(x)W\gamma(x)\in \mathbf{W}, where γ(x)\gamma(x) is the remainder (γ1γ2)(x)(modxpx)(\gamma_1\circ \gamma_2)(x)\pmod {x^p-x}. How many polynomials are in W?\mathbf{W}?