In the equation $x^{2}+p x+3=0$, determine $p$ such that one root of the equation is three times the other.
If $x_{2}=3 x_{1}$, then

$$
\begin{gathered}
x_{1} x_{2}=3 x_{1}^{2}=3 \\
x_{1}= \pm 1
\end{gathered}
$$

and thus

$$
p=-\left(x_{1}+x_{2}\right)=-4 x_{1}=\mp 4
$$

(Putnoky László, Budapest.)