English

Monic integer Chebyshev problem

Number Theory 2013-07-23 v1

Abstract

We study the problem of minimizing the supremum norm by monic polynomials with integer coefficients. Let \Mn(Z){\M}_n({\Z}) denote the monic polynomials of degree nn with integer coefficients. A {\it monic integer Chebyshev polynomial} Mn\Mn(Z)M_n \in {\M}_n({\Z}) satisfies MnE=infPn\Mn(Z)PnE. \| M_n \|_{E} = \inf_{P_n \in{\M}_n ({\Z})} \| P_n \|_{E}. and the {\it monic integer Chebyshev constant} is then defined by tM(E):=limnMnE1/n. t_M(E) := \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} \| M_n \|_{E}^{1/n}. This is the obvious analogue of the more usual {\it integer Chebyshev constant} that has been much studied. We compute tM(E)t_M(E) for various sets including all finite sets of rationals and make the following conjecture, which we prove in many cases. \medskip\noindent {\bf Conjecture.} {\it Suppose [a2/b2,a1/b1][{a_2}/{b_2},{a_1}/{b_1}] is an interval whose endpoints are consecutive Farey fractions. This is characterized by a1b2a2b1=1.a_1b_2-a_2b_1=1. Then} tM[a2/b2,a1/b1]=max(1/b1,1/b2).t_M[{a_2}/{b_2},{a_1}/{b_1}] = \max(1/b_1,1/b_2). This should be contrasted with the non-monic integer Chebyshev constant case where the only intervals where the constant is exactly computed are intervals of length 4 or greater.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1307.5362,
  title  = {Monic integer Chebyshev problem},
  author = {P. B. Borwein and C. G. Pinner and I. E. Pritsker},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1307.5362},
  year   = {2013}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-22T00:54:38.964Z