English

On transcendental entire functions with infinitely many derivatives taking integer values at two points

Number Theory 2019-12-03 v1

Abstract

Given a subset S={s0,s1}S=\{s_0, s_1\} of the complex plane with two points and an infinite subset S{\mathscr S} of S×NS\times {\mathbb N}, where N={0,1,2,}{\mathbb N}=\{0,1,2,\dots\} is the set of nonnegative integers, we ask for a lower bound for the order of growth of a transcendental entire function ff such that f(n)(s)Zf^{(n)}(s)\in{\mathbb Z} for all (s,n)S(s,n)\in{\mathscr S}. We first take S={s0,s1}×2N{\mathscr S}=\{s_0,s_1\}\times 2{\mathbb N}, where 2N={0,2,4,}2{\mathbb N}=\{0,2,4,\dots\} is the set of nonnegative even integers. We prove that an entire function ff of sufficiently small exponential type such that f(2n)(s0)Zf^{(2n)}(s_0)\in{\mathbb Z} and f(2n)(s1)Zf^{(2n)}( s_1)\in{\mathbb Z} for all sufficiently large nn must be a polynomial. The estimate we reach is optimal, as we show by constructing a noncountable set of examples. The main tool, both for the proof of the estimate and for the construction of examples, is Lidstone polynomials. Our second example is ({s0}×(2N+1))({s1}×2N)(\{s_0\}\times (2{\mathbb N}+1))\cup( \{ s_1\}\times 2{\mathbb N}) (odd derivatives at s0s_0 and even derivatives at s1 s_1). We use analogs of Lidstone polynomials which have been introduced by J.M.~Whittaker and studied by I.J.~Schoenberg. Finally, using results of W.~Gontcharoff, A. J.~Macintyre and J.M.~Whittaker, we prove lower bounds for the exponential type of a transcendental entire function ff such that, for each sufficiently large nn, one at least of the two numbers f(n)(s0)f^{(n)}(s_0), f(n)(s1)f^{(n)}(s_1) is in Z{\mathbb Z}.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1912.00173,
  title  = {On transcendental entire functions with infinitely many derivatives taking integer values at two points},
  author = {Michel Waldschmidt},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1912.00173},
  year   = {2019}
}

Comments

28 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-23T12:31:50.941Z