AMC 10 Step by Step
2021 AMC Fall 10AProblem 25P21-25~12 minPrint

A quadratic polynomial with real coefficients and leading coefficient 11 is called disrespectful\emph{disrespectful} if the equation p(p(x))=0p(p(x))=0 is satisfied by exactly three real numbers. Among all the disrespectful quadratic polynomials, there is a unique such polynomial p~(x)\tilde{p}(x) for which the sum of the roots is maximized. What is p~(1)\tilde{p}(1) ?

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Problem © Mathematical Association of America (MAA), American Mathematics Competitions. Reproduced for non-commercial educational use. Solution and commentary are original to this site.