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Here is what I tried - I assumed 3 quadratics $f(x) , g(x)$ and $h(x)$ with these I formed the gigantic equation $f(g(h(x)))$ it had a degree 8 therefore was satisfying the 8 degree criterion but I'm stuck at finding is it possible that it has roots $1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8.$

MJD
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The polynomial $h$ must be $2$ to $1$ on the set $\{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8\}$. Thus its stationary point must occur at $4.5$ (considering real and imaginary parts of $h$ separately). Thus $$h(x)=a(x(9-x))+b,$$ and the values of $h$ applied to that set are $8a+b,14a+b,18a+b,20a+b$ for constants $a,b$.

By the same reasoning $g$ must be $2$ to $1$ on this set, so its stationary point must occur at $14a+b$ so that $g(8a+b)=g(20a+b)$. However then $g(18a+b)\neq g(14a+b)$. Thus we cannot have $3$ such quadratics.

tkf
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