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A question on polynomials with integral coefficients.

By Sarah Rodriguez
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I was solving a particular problem (not necessary here) when the following came to my mind.

Prove or disprove the statement:

If $P(x)$ be a polynomial such that $P(n) \in Z$ $ \forall n \in Z$ (Z denotes set of integers), then all coeffcients of $P(x)$ are integers.

Is this statement true? I haven't seen this proved ordisproved anywhere. Igot a feeling this may be false but no evidence.

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1 Answer

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A simple counterexample?


Note that for a natural number $n$ the polynomial $$\binom {X}{n} =\frac {X (X-1)\cdots (X-n+1)}{n (n-1)\cdots 1}$$ takes integer values at all integers although it does not have integer coefficients.


Also see here. Hope it helps.

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