English

Waring's problem for polynomials in two variables

Number Theory 2011-10-20 v3 Commutative Algebra

Abstract

We prove that all polynomials in several variables can be decomposed as the sums of kkth powers: P(x1,...,xn)=Q1(x1,...,xn)k+...+Qs(x1,...,xn)kP(x_1,...,x_n) = Q_1(x_1,...,x_n)^k+...+ Q_s(x_1,...,x_n)^k, provided that elements of the base field are themselves sums of kkth powers. We also give bounds for the number of terms ss and the degree of the QikQ_i^k. We then improve these bounds in the case of two variables polynomials of large degree to get a decomposition P(x,y)=Q1(x,y)k+...+Qs(x,y)kP(x,y) = Q_1(x,y)^k+...+ Q_s(x,y)^k with degQikdegP+k3\deg Q_i^k \le \deg P + k^3 and ss that depends on kk and ln(degP)\ln (\deg P).

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1104.0472,
  title  = {Waring's problem for polynomials in two variables},
  author = {Arnaud Bodin and Mireille Car},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1104.0472},
  year   = {2011}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-21T17:48:54.777Z