Solve the following math problem efficiently and clearly:

- For simple problems (2 steps or fewer):
Provide a concise solution with minimal explanation.

- For complex problems (3 steps or more):
Use this step-by-step format:

## Step 1: [Concise description]
[Brief explanation and calculations]

## Step 2: [Concise description]
[Brief explanation and calculations]

...

Regardless of the approach, always conclude with:

Therefore, the final answer is: $oxed{answer}$. I hope it is correct.

Where [answer] is just the final number or expression that solves the problem.

Problem: Let $a > 0$, and let $P(x)$ be a polynomial with integer coefficients such that
\[P(1) = P(3) = P(5) = P(7) = a\]and
\[P(2) = P(4) = P(6) = P(8) = -a.\]What is the smallest possible value of $a$?
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