Problem

Source: Iran MO 3rd round 2016 finals - Number Theory P2

Tags: number theory, function, algebra, polynomial



We call a function $g$ special if $g(x)=a^{f(x)}$ (for all $x$) where $a$ is a positive integer and $f$ is polynomial with integer coefficients such that $f(n)>0$ for all positive integers $n$. A function is called an exponential polynomial if it is obtained from the product or sum of special functions. For instance, $2^{x}3^{x^{2}+x-1}+5^{2x}$ is an exponential polynomial. Prove that there does not exist a non-zero exponential polynomial $f(x)$ and a non-constant polynomial $P(x)$ with integer coefficients such that $$P(n)|f(n)$$for all positive integers $n$.