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An absolute bound for generalized Diophantine tuples over polynomial rings

Number Theory 2026-07-01 v1

Abstract

Let F\mathbb F be an algebraically closed field of characteristic 00. Let k2k\geq 2 be an integer, and let nF[x]{0}n\in \mathbb F[x]\setminus\{0\}. We study generalized Diophantine tuples AF[x]A\subset \mathbb F[x] with property Dk(n)D_k(n), meaning that ab+nab+n is a kk-th power in F[x]\mathbb F[x] for all distinct elements a,bAa,b\in A. For k18k\ge18, we prove that every such tuple satisfies A6|A|\le6, except for the necessary exceptional family in which n=s2n=s^2 is a kk-th power and AsFA\subset s\mathbb{F}. This bound is absolute: it is independent of both nn and degn\operatorname{deg} n. Our proof develops a new method for studying polynomial Diophantine tuples, combining a determinant criterion, generalizations of the Mason--Stothers theorem, and the Combinatorial Nullstellensatz. We also record a conditional analogue for generalized Diophantine tuples over the integers.

Cite

@article{arxiv.2607.01165,
  title  = {An absolute bound for generalized Diophantine tuples over polynomial rings},
  author = {Kin Ming Tsang and Chi Hoi Yip},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2607.01165},
  year   = {2026}
}

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23 pages