Questions tagged [finite-fields]
A finite field is a field with a finite number of elements. For each prime power $q^k$, there is a unique (up to isomorphism) finite field with $q^k$ elements. Up to isomorphism, these are the only finite fields.
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Roots of lacunary polynomials over a finite field
If $P$ is a polynomial over the field $\mathbb F_q$ of degree at most $q-2$ with $k$ nonzero coefficients, then $P$ has at most $(1-1/k)(q-1)$ distinct nonzero roots.
Does this fact have any standard ...
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Steinberg representation for sporadic simple groups?
The Steinberg representation is a remarkable irreducible representation of a reductive algebraic group over a finite field or local field, or a group with a BN-pair. It is analogous to the 1-...
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A comprehensive overview of finite fields
I've read numerous introductions to finite fields, but I feel like my intuition about them is fairly lacking. Considering that finite fields are the the most "inert" objects in algebraic geometry, I ...
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An efficient isomorphism between finite fields
Let $p$ be a prime number. Let $f$ and $g$ be irreducible polynomials over $\mathbb{F}_p$, both of degree $n$. We know that factor-rings $\mathbb{F}_p[x]/(f)$ and $\mathbb{F}_p[x]/(g)$ are isomorphic ...
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Is there a proof of Warning's Second Theorem using p-adic cohomology?
Let $\mathbb{F}_q$ be a finite field, $n \in \mathbb{Z}^+$, and $f_1,\ldots,f_r \in \mathbb{F}_q[t_1,\ldots,t_n]$ with $\operatorname{deg}(f_i) = d_i$. Put $d = \sum_{i=1}^n d_i$ and suppose $d< n$...
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Near-linear mappings from $\mathbb F_p$ to $\mathbb R$
$\newcommand{\F}{{\mathbb F}}$
$\newcommand{\R}{{\mathbb R}}$
$\renewcommand{\phi}{\varphi}$
Let $p\ge 5$ be a prime.
If the functions $\phi_1,\phi_2,\phi_3\colon\F_p\to\R$ satisfy $\phi_1(x)+\...
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Why is $ULU=NU$ (a refinement of $|N|=q^{n^2-n}$)?
Let $G=GL_n(\mathbb{F}_q)$, $U$, $L$, $N$ the subsets of upper-triangular unipotent, lower-triangular unipotent, all unipotent matrices respectively. Then $ULU=NU$ means that for any $g\in G$ the ...
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Multiplicative order of zeros of the Artin-Schreier Polynomial
This question was asked on NMBRTHRY by Kurt Foster:
If $p$ is a prime number and $\mathbb{F}_p$ the field of $p$ elements, the zeroes of the Artin-Schreier polynomial
$x^p - x - 1 \in \mathbb{F}_p[x]...
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Related Forms for the Riemann Hypothesis over Function Fields
There are several formulations and consequences of the Riemann Hypothesis over Function Fields (RH, from now on). I am interested in the logical implications between those, and in proofs\references ...
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Most points on a degree $p$ hypersurface?
Let $p$ be a prime. Let $f \in \mathbb{F}_p[x_1, \ldots, x_n]$ be a homogenous polynomial of degree $p$. Can $f$ have more than $(1-p^{-1}+p^{-2}) p^n$ zeroes in $\mathbb{F}_p^n$?
Basic observations: ...
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Behaviour of Zeta-function under Finite Morphism
Let X ---> Y be a finite surjective morphism of smooth, projective, connected varieties over a finite field F_q. Can one describe the zeta function Z(X, t) in terms of the zeta-function Z(Y,t) of ...
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A family of hypersurfaces with many points
This question is a sequel to an earlier question, which asked about the zeta function of a certain affine variety over a finite field $k$. The unusual thing about this variety is that it had the ...
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Geometric complexity theory for finite fields
Geometric complexity theory (GCT) is an approach via algebraic geometry and representation theory towards the P vs. NP problems and related problems Ketan D. Mulmuley.
More precisely, the idea is to ...
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Algebraic geometry over the complex numbers, and beyond
My question basically is very simple: when did mathematicians start to do algebraic geometry "outside the complex numbers" ?
In the old days, algebraic geometry was solely done over the ...
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Cubic polynomials over finite fields whose roots are quadratic residues or non-residues
For a cubic polynomial $f(x)=x^3+x^2+\frac{1}{4}x+c$ over $\mathbb{F}_q$, where $q$ is a odd prime power, I find that for a lot of $q$, there does not exist $c\in\mathbb{F}_q$ such that $f$ has three ...
user150240
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Local-globalism for similar matrices?
My background on number theory is very weak, so please bear with me...
Given two matrices $A$ and $B$ in $\mathbb{Z}^{n\times n}$. Assume that for every prime $p$, the images of $A$ and $B$ in $\...
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(Barely) linearly independent vectors over $\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$
Let $V$ be a vector space over $\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$. Can there be a set $S$ of $2 n$ vectors in $V$ such that any $n$ vectors in $S$ span a space of dimension exactly $n-1$, but no $n$ vectors $...
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Explicit large finite fields in characteristic $2$
Every finite field of characteristic $2$ ist given by $\mathbb{F}_2[x]/P(x)$ for some irreducible polynomial $P\in \mathbb{F}_2[x]$.
For small degree, a simple algorithm gives a way to find $P$. Is ...
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Bounds for the difference in the number of ones in $M$ and $M^{-1}$
If $M$ is a full rank $n$ by $n$ binary matrix over $\mathbb{F}_2$, how much larger or smaller can the number of $1$s in $M^{-1}$ be, compared to the number of $1$s in $M$?
Clearly the identity matrix ...
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Can we always find such an irreducible polynomial of degree n where degree(p(x)-x^n)<= n/2?
Consider unitary polynomials of degree $n$ over $GF(2)$. That is, polynomials of the form $p(x) = \sum_{i=0}^n a_i x^i$ where $a_i\in GF(2)$ and $a_n=1$.
Can we always find such an irreducible ...
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Pointless groups
This question now has two sequels, Pointless groups II (to which @R.vanDobbendeBruyn gave a counterexample for an infinite, imperfect field) and Pointless groups III, both using revised wording ...
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Are $E_n$-operads not formal in characteristic not equal to zero?
This is a short question:
Is it just unproven folklore (yet), or is it definitively known that $E_n$-operads are not formal, if the characteristic of the underlying field is not equal to zero?
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Greatest common divisor in $\mathbb{F}_p[T]$ with powers of linear polynomials
Let $n>1$ and $p$ be an odd prime with $p-1 \mid n-1$ such that $p^k - 1 \mid n-1$ does not hold for any $k>1$. Notice that, since $p-1 \mid n-1$, we have $T^p - T \mid T^n-T$ in $\mathbb{F}_p[T]...
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Blocking sets in three dimensional finite affine spaces
What is the smallest possible size of a set of points in $\mathbb{F}_q^3$ which intersects (blocks) every line?
Clearly the union of three affine hyperplanes that intersect in a singleton, say $x = 0,...
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Is there a presentation to the kernel of the prime-to-$p$ fundamental short exact sequence of curves over finite fields?
Let $X$ be $\mathbb{P}^1_{\mathbb{F}_q}\smallsetminus \{a_1,...,a_r\}$, where $a_1,...,a_r$ are some $\mathbb{F}_q$-rational points. Let $\bar X :=X_{\bar{\mathbb{F}}_q}$. There is a short exact ...
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Counting isomorphism classes in open subsets of Bun_G
Let $G$ be a split semisimple algebraic group and let $C$ be a curve of genus $g$ over $\mathbb F_q$. Assume $g \geq 2$.
The number of $\mathbb F_q$-points of $\# \operatorname{Bun}_G(C)$, where each ...
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Fibonacci-like sequences in $\mathbb{F}_q$ where each element only depends on the previous one
Given a prime power $q$, consider all sequences $(a_n)_{n\in\mathbb{Z}}$ in $\mathbb{F}_q$ for which $a_{n+1}=a_n+a_{n-1}$ for all $n\in\mathbb{Z}$. Call such a sequence simple if there exists a ...
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Does $q$-Catalan number count subspaces?
Consider the $n$-element subsets $\{a_1<a_2<\cdots <a_n\}$ of $\{1,\ldots ,2n\}$ satisfying $a_i\geq 2i$ for all $i=1,\ldots ,n$. The number of such subsets is given by $${2n\choose n}-{2n\...
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Counting nonzero hyperdeterminants over $\mathbb{F}_q$
The hyperdeterminant $D(A)$ is a multidimensional generalization of the
determinant. It is a polynomial in the entries of a $(k_1+1)\times
(k_2+1)\times\cdots \times (k_n+1)$ array $A$. The ...
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Are condensed vector spaces over finite fields always solid?
The Clausen-Scholze theory of condensed mathematics offers an abelian category with enough projective objects that embraces the study of arbitrary locally compact (and Hausdorff) groups. The behaviour ...
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Classifications of finite simple objects
I'm curious to know if other classifications are known of "finite simple structures" in the same spirit of the monumental classification of finite simple groups. Here I mean "...
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Proofs in the same vein as Ax-Grothendieck
I would like to see other examples of (ideas of) proofs and results in the same vein as the proof of the Ax-Grothendieck theorem. To explain what I mean by "in the same vein", I will quote from the ...
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The maximal subset of a finite field where the sum of any subset is non-zero
Given a finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$ with $q=p^m$ where $p$ is the characteristic.
For any subset $S=\{a_1,\dots,a_n\}$ of $\mathbb{F}_q$, if any partial sum (i.e. the sum of elements in a non-empty ...
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Seeking conceptual explanation of these nice bijections on roots of unity
I proved the following facts by unenlightening calculations. Since the statements are quite clean, I think there should be a conceptual explanation for them, which my proof certainly is not.
Let $q$ ...
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How many Lie and associative algebras over a finite field are there?
This question is related to the following general question:
Given a variety of (non-associative) algebras $\mathcal V$, a finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$, with $q$ elements, and a positive integer $n$, ...
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Richardson varieties over finite fields
Let me start with some background to set the notation before I ask my question.
Let G be a semisimple algebraic group over some algebraically closed field K, and suppose we have fixed a Borel ...
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Isomorphic finite fields of a skew field
Let $D$ be a skew field and $F$ and $E$ be isomorphic finite subfields of $D$, is it true that $F=E$?
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p-adic analogue of octonions
There are the complex p-adic numbers.
But what is the p-adic analogue of the Cayley–Dickson construction?
Or more important: What is the p-adic analogue of the octonions?
It would be nice if the (unit)...
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Maximal order of elements in SL(n,q)
The maximal order of an element of $\mathrm{GL}(n,\mathbb{F}_q)$ is $q^n-1$, where the characteristic of $\mathbb{F}_q$ is odd $p$. See here for a nice proof that uses the Cayley-Hamilton Theorem.
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Elliptic-curve related equivalence between fields of different characteristic?
Conjecture: If I have an elliptic curve with j-invariant 0 of the form $y^2 = x^3 + b$ over some prime-order field $\mathbb{F}_p$ (where $p$ is not 2 or 3), and the group of rational curvepoints has ...
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Reinterpreting Galois descent over finite fields
This question is indirectly related to my previous question Is an elliptic curve that is isomorphic to its Frobenius conjugate defined over $\mathbb{F}_p$?
Let $\mathbb{F}_{q^n}/\mathbb{F}_q$ be an ...
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Proving that polynomials belonging to a certain family are reducible
In an article, I've found the following result. Unfortunately, it was derived from a general, somewhat complicated theory, that would be cumbersome for this result alone.
Assume that $\mathbb F_p$ is ...
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Noether-Lefschetz over finite fields
The classical Noether-Lefschetz theorem asserts the following: Over the complex numbers, a very general surface $S\subset \mathbb{P}^3$ has Picard number 1 (that is, $Pic(S)\simeq \mathbb Z$), ...
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Does every geometric progression contain a small remainder modulo a large prime?
The exact question I am interested in is the following.
Fix a small $\varepsilon\in(0,1)$ and an integer $q\ge 2$ (you may assume that $q$ is prime if it helps though I believe it shouldn't matter too ...
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Discrete logarithm for polynomials
Let $p$ be a fixed small prime (I'm particularly interested in $p = 2$), and let $Q, R \in \mathbb{F}_p[X]$ be polynomials.
Consider the problem of determining the set of $n \in \mathbb{N}$ such that $...
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How many rich directions does a set in $\mathbb F_p^2$ determine?
$\newcommand{\F}{\mathbb F}$
A subset $P$ of the affine plane $\F_p^2$ is said to determine a direction if there is a line in this direction containing at least two points of $P$.
A set of size $|P|&...
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Integral points on elliptic curve and the Lee norm
This question is based on small experiments I have done in Sagemath and if it is not research level, I will move it to MSE:
Let $E$ be an elliptic curve defined with coefficients in $\mathbb{Z}$.
The ...
user6671
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Commuting matrix variety $[A,B]=0$ - can one geometrically explain divisibility of $F_ q$ point count by high powers of $q$?
$\DeclareMathOperator\Comm{Comm}\DeclareMathOperator\Id{Id}$Consider the variety $\Comm$ of commuting matrices $[A,B]=0$ over some field $K$. It is much studied, and interesting for various reasons.
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A $k \times n$ matrix with a lot of invertible $k \times k$ submatrices over $\mathbb{F}_2$
In the appendix of the paper by Tolhuizen (
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=841182) there is a very fast and easy probabilistic proof that for $k=cn$ where $c \in [0,1]$ is fixed, ...
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Geometric vs combinatorial motives over Spec Z
Consider the category of reduced schemes of finite type over $\mathbb{Z}$. Take the Grothendieck group of this category, i.e. the free abelian group on isomorphism classes, modulo the usual "syzygy" ...
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