Hypergeometric Functions over Finite Fields and their relations to Algebraic Curves

In this work we present an explicit relation between the number of points on a family of algebraic curves over $\F_{q}$ and sums of values of certain hypergeometric functions over $\F_{q}$. Moreover, we show that these hypergeometric functions can be explicitly related to the roots of the zeta function of the curve over $\F_{q}$ in some particular cases. A general conjecture relating these last two is presented and advances toward its proof are shown in the last section.