IMC 2012 · Problem 5

Day 119th IMC · Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

Statement

Let aa be a rational number and let nn be a positive integer. Prove that the polynomial X2n(X+a)2n+1X^{2^n}(X+a)^{2^n} + 1 is irreducible in the ring Q[X]\mathbb{Q}[X] of polynomials with rational coefficients.

Official solution

Hidden so you can work on the problem first.

Proposed by Vincent Jugé, École Polytechnique, Paris.