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6 votes
1 answer
560 views

Is decomposability of integer polynomials over the rational numbers an undecidable problem?

By a decomposition of a polynomial $F(x)$ over a field $K$ we mean writing $F(x)$ as $$ F(x)=G(H(x)) \quad(G(x), H(x) \in K[x]), $$ which is nontrivial if $\operatorname{deg} G(x)>1$ and $\...
2 votes
1 answer
158 views

Computing the minimal polynomial of roots of polynomials with algebraic coefficients

Let $p(x) = \sum_{i=0}^{n} c_i x^i$ with $c_i \in \mathbb{A}$ with $q_i(c_i) = 0$ and all $q_i \in \mathbb{Q}[x]$ being minimal polynomials of the coefficients. Let $r$ be a zero of $p(x)$. Is there ...
13 votes
2 answers
875 views

Given an irreducible polynomial over $\mathbb{Z}$, how often is it irreducible modulo a prime?

Given a monic irreducible polynomial $f\in\mathbb{Z}[x]$, I'd like to know for how many primes p we have that $f \bmod p$ is irreducible. In the link: How many primes stay inert in a finite (non-...
18 votes
5 answers
8k views

Is $x^p-x+1$ always irreducible in $\mathbb F_p[x]$?

It seems that for any prime number $p$ and for any non-zero element $a$ in the finite field $\mathbb F_p$, the polynomial $x^p-x+a$ is irreducible over $\mathbb F_p$. (It is of course obvious that ...
0 votes
0 answers
126 views

Nilpotent elements of $(\mathbb{Z}/n \mathbb{Z})[x_1,...,x_m]/\langle f_1(x_1,...,x_m),f_2(x_1,...,x_m),...f_k(x_1,...,x_m)\rangle$

This is generalization of the univariate case and also related to open problem. Let $n,k,m,B>1$ be positive integers and $f_1(x_1,...,x_m),f_2(x_1,...,x_m),...f_k(x_1,...,x_m)$ be polynomials with ...
4 votes
0 answers
171 views

Nilpotent elements of $K=(\mathbb{Z}/n \mathbb{Z})[x]/f(x)$

This is related to an open problem. Let $n$ be integer and $f(x)$ polynomial with integer coefficients and set $K=(\mathbb{Z}/n \mathbb{Z})[x]/f(x)$. Let $S$ be the set of degree 2 nilpotent elements ...
17 votes
1 answer
687 views

Multiply an integer polynomial with another integer polynomial to get a "big" coefficient

I have copied this question from StackExchange, in the hope that some experts here can provide some relevant insight. Thanks to Greg Martin for improving the question. Given $f(x) = a_0 + a_1 x + a_2 ...
4 votes
1 answer
334 views

GCD in $\mathbb{F}_3[T]$ with powers of linear polynomials

This is a continuation of my previous question on $\gcd$s of polynomials of type $f^n - f$. Let us call $n > 1$ simple at a prime $p$ when $p-1 \mid n-1$ but $p^k - 1 \not\mid n-1$ for all $k > ...
78 votes
9 answers
26k views

Irreducibility of polynomials in two variables

Let $k$ be a field. I am interested in sufficient criteria for $f \in k[x,y]$ to be irreducible. An example is Theorem A of this paper (Brindza and Pintér, On the irreducibility of some polynomials in ...
2 votes
1 answer
131 views

Adjacent reducible polynomials

Let $P[X_1, X_2, \ldots, X_N]$ be a reducible polynomial in $\mathbb{Z}[X_1, X_2, \ldots, X_N]$ such that $P[X_1, X_2, \ldots, X_N] + 1$ is also reducible. What (if anything) can we say about $P$? One ...
1 vote
4 answers
717 views

Given an integer $N$, find solutions to $X^3 + Y^3 + Z^3 - 3XYZ \equiv 1 \pmod{N}$

Given an integer $N > 0$ with unknown factorization, I would like to find nontrivial solutions $(X, Y, Z)$ to the congruence $X^3 + Y^3 + Z^3 - 3XYZ \equiv 1 \pmod{N}$. Is there any algorithmic way ...
0 votes
1 answer
216 views

A Newton identity and the primes--the Faber partition polynomials and modular arithmetic

[Edit, July 6, 2022: Removed erroneous characterization of Faber polynomials as an Appell sequence.] Dress and Siebeneicher in their tale of the Burnside family express an opinion (1.2) that, if I ...
2 votes
0 answers
121 views

When $\gcd(P(x),Q(x))\bmod R(x)=\gcd(P(x) \bmod R(x),Q(x) \bmod R(x))$?

Let's $P,Q\in\mathbb K[x]$, with $\mathbb K$ a finite field. On what necessary and sufficient condition on $R \in \mathbb K[x]$ is it : $\gcd(P(x),Q(x))\bmod R(x)=\gcd(P(x) \bmod R(x),Q(x) \bmod R(x))...
10 votes
1 answer
327 views

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 ...
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

Polynomials which are functionally equivalent over finite fields

Recall that two polynomials over a finite field are not necessarily considered equal, even if they evaluate to the same value at every point. For example, suppose $f(x) = x^2 + x + 1$ and $g(x) = 1$. ...
4 votes
0 answers
236 views

Is this property of polynomials generic?

Let $n \geq 2$, and consider a polynomial $f$ in $n$ variables, say over a field $K$ of characteristic 0. Recall that $f$ is geometrically irreducible if $f$ is irreducible over the algebraic closure ...
6 votes
1 answer
242 views

$(q,t)$-Fibonacci polynomials: area & bounce statistics

This is related to my earlier (unanswered) MO post. Preserve notations from there. We take advantage of the one-to-one correspondence between the $(s,s+1)$-core partitions and $(s,s+1)$-Dyck paths. ...
15 votes
0 answers
376 views

Reducible polynomials of the shape $f(t^2)$, where $f$ is irreducible

Let $f(x) \in \mathbb{Z}[x]$ be a monic, irreducible polynomial. What are necessary and sufficient conditions for $g(t) = f(t^2)$ to be reducible over $\mathbb{Q}$? For instance, if $f(x) = x-1$ then $...
1 vote
0 answers
57 views

Families of polynomials given by tuples of binary forms with finitely many reducible members

Let $G_1, \cdots, G_n \in \mathbb{Z}[x,y]$ be binary forms, and put $\mathbf{G} = (G_1, \cdots, G_n)$. Consider the family of monic polynomials $$\displaystyle \mathcal{F}_\mathbf{G} = \{x^n + G_1(p,q)...
2 votes
2 answers
399 views

What fraction of polynomials with integer coefficients are indecomposable?

It is well-known that "most" integers are composite: the Prime Number Theorem tells us that only about $1/\log(N)$ of the integers in the interval $1 \ldots N$ are prime. For polynomials, ...
15 votes
1 answer
1k views

Integer valued polynomials and polynomials with integer coefficients

It is well known that the subring $S$ of integer valued polynomials ${\mathbb Q}[x]$ is generated by the binomial functions $P_n={x \choose n}$. One can ask a dual question: how to characterize the ...
3 votes
1 answer
195 views

Solutions to nonhomogeneous quadratic equation mod $N$

Is there any way to find non-trivial solutions to the equation $x^2 + y^2 - x \equiv 0 \mod{N}$? There are clearly several trivial solutions, for example $(x, y) = (0, 0), (1, 0), (2^{-1}, 2^{-1}), (2^...
1 vote
0 answers
90 views

Mod $N^2$ evaluation of a polynomial defined by first $N-1$ roots

Given a prime $N$ and integer $g$, where $g$ is able to generate the multiplicative subgroup $(\mathbb{Z}/N^2\mathbb{Z})^*$, I am interested in any results simplifying or evaluating $f\in (\mathbb{Z}/...
28 votes
1 answer
2k views

SOS polynomials with integer coefficients

A well known theorem of Polya and Szego says that every non-negative univariate polynomial $p(x)$ can be expressed as the sum of exactly two squares: $p(x) = (f(x))^2 + (g(x))^2$ for some $f, g$. ...
1 vote
0 answers
53 views

On a structural decomposition of polynomials based on integral roots

Given an irreducible polynomial of structure $$f(x,y)=\sum_{\substack{i,j\in\{0,1,2\}\\i+j\leq3}}a_{i, j}x^iy^j\in\mathbb Z[x,y]$$ with $a_{2,1}a_{1,2}a_{1,1}a_{1,0}a_{0,1}a_{0,0}\neq0$ if $f(m,n)=0$ ...
11 votes
4 answers
4k views

Variants of Eisenstein irreducibility

In his article where he stated what we know as Eisenstein's irreducibility criterion (which actually was first proved by Schönemann, as was Scholz's reciprocity law and Hensel's Lemma), he ...
11 votes
1 answer
475 views

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]...
12 votes
1 answer
3k views

Factorization of polynomials in two variables

I have read, from the question Irreducibility of polynomials in two variables, that all polynomials $f(x)-g(y)$, where $f, g$ are indecomposable polynomials, and there are no $a, b$ such that $g(ax+b)...
2 votes
0 answers
93 views

The prime spectrume of integral-valued polynomial ring

Let $ D $ be an integral domain with quotiont field $K $ and let $Int (D) $be the set of all integral-valued polynomials on $D $, that is, $ Int (D):=\{f \in K[x]\mid f (D) \subseteq D\} $. The ...
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Unique factorization in polynomial rings

Everybody knows that polynomial rings over fields have unique factorization, and that if $R$ has unique factorization, then so does $R[X]$. And everybody knows who proved these results first. Well, ...
3 votes
0 answers
222 views

Mod p reduction of geometrically irreducible polynomials

Let $f\in \mathbb Z[t,x]$ be a polynomial of positive degree that is irreducible over $\overline{\mathbb Q}[t,x]$. Is it true that for all but finitely many primes $p$ the reduced polynomial $f_p\in \...
1 vote
0 answers
289 views

gcd of polynomial values

Suppose that $f$ and $g$ are two coprime polynomials in $\mathbb Z[x]$. I'm interested in any sort of upper bound on $gcd(f(a),g(a))$, in terms of the integer $a$. Are there any results of this type?...
2 votes
1 answer
470 views

Polynomials with no multiple root

Let $a,d$ be polynomials of $\mathbb Z[X]$ with $\deg a>\deg d\ge0$ and $P$ be a polynomial of $\mathbb Z[X]$. Consider an infinite sequence of integers $(\lambda_n)_n$. Can one assert there exists ...
8 votes
3 answers
1k views

Sufficient conditions for a polynomial to be reducible over the integers

There are several well-known criteria for a polynomial with integer coefficients to be irreducible over $\mathbb{Z}$, e.g., Eisenstein's criterion. I'm looking for the opposite: other than ...
7 votes
1 answer
230 views

Discriminant of numerator of inverse logarithmic derivative operator iteration

Let $T:\mathbb Q(x)\to \mathbb Q(x)$ be the operator of inverse logarithmic derivative, i.e. $$Tf=\frac{f}{f'}.$$ Define $$p_n(x)=T^n\left(x-\frac{x^2}{2}\right).$$ Let $f_n(x) \in \mathbb Z[x]$ be ...
33 votes
3 answers
6k views

Are surjectivity and injectivity of polynomial functions from $\mathbb{Q}^n$ to $\mathbb{Q}$ algorithmically decidable?

Is there an algorithm which, given a polynomial $f \in \mathbb{Q}[x_1, \dots, x_n]$, decides whether the mapping $f: \mathbb{Q}^n \rightarrow \mathbb{Q}$ is surjective, respectively, injective? -- And ...
3 votes
0 answers
95 views

Sign of bivariate polynomial evaluated over two algebraic numbers

I would like to compute the sign of a bivariate polynomial $f$ evaluated over two algebraic numbers $a$, $b$. The numbers are in "isolating interval representation" meaning that each one is defined by ...
3 votes
1 answer
336 views

If $F(x,y)$ is a polynomial which is not a square, then how often is the specialization $F(x,a)$ a square?

Suppose $F(x,y)$ is a polynomial in two variables over a field $K$, and $F(x,y)$ is not a square. When is $F(x,a)$ a square for $a\in K$? I would guess that Hilbert's Irreducibility Theorem might help ...
5 votes
0 answers
153 views

On factorization algorithms for $\mathcal{O}[x]$

We know that $\mathsf{LLL}$ algorithm provides factorization procedure that runs in poly time for polynomials in $\Bbb Z[x]$ that are primitive. What other rings $\mathcal{O}$ can we use instead of $\...
6 votes
0 answers
106 views

Irreducibility testing and factoring

It is a result of van Hoeij and Novicin (Algorithmica, 2012) that factoring polynomials of degree $d$ over the integers can be done in $O(d^6 + d^4 \log^2 A)$ time, where $A$ is the coefficient bound. ...
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

Irreducibility of some trinomials modulo $p$

Let $n>1$ be an integer. An old result of Selmer, See Theorem 1, page 289 in http://www.mscand.dk/article.php?id=1472, (If the link does not work try googling: ...
1 vote
2 answers
337 views

Transformation of a bivariate polynomial into a homogeneous one

For a given a bivariate polynomial $P(x,y)$ with rational coefficients: Q1. How compute such (invertible) substitutions of its variables that would transform the polynomial into a homogeneous one? In ...
9 votes
1 answer
792 views

Reconstructing a polynomial from resultants

I am trying to compute a monic polynomial $f(x)$ with integer coefficients and known degree $d$. I am given $n$ pairwise coprime polynomials $g_1(x),\ldots,g_n(x)$, also with integer coefficients, ...
1 vote
2 answers
340 views

Infinite collection of elements of a number field with very similar annihilating polynomials

Hello all, let $n$ be an integer $\geq 2$ and let $\alpha$ be an algebraic number of degree $n$. Let $R$ be the ring of algebraic integers in ${\mathbb Q}(\alpha)$, and let $B$ be the subset of $R$ ...