Conjectures on real roots and reducibility of the polynomials B_{p_{k,n}}

For kN2k\in\mathbb{N}_{\geq2} and nN+n\in\mathbb{N}_{+}, define

pk,n=22n+k32n+k1+2k3p_{k,n}=2^{2n+k}-3\cdot2^{n+k-1}+2^k-3

and

Nk(n)={tR:Bpk,n(t)=0}.N_k(n)=\left|\{t\in\mathbb{R}:B_{p_{k,n}}(t)=0\}\right|.

Conjectures for Bpk,nB_{p_{k,n}}. (1) If k0(mod2)k\equiv0\pmod 2, there is ckN+c_k\in\mathbb{N}_{+} such that Bpk,n(t)B_{p_{k,n}}(t) has exactly one real root for nNckn\in\mathbb{N}_{\geq c_k}; under the same assumptions, y=Bpk,n(t)y=B_{p_{k,n}}(t) is increasing for tRt\in\mathbb{R}. (2) If k1(mod2)k\equiv1\pmod2, there is a number CkC_k such that Nk(n)CkN_k(n)\leq C_k for each nN+n\in\mathbb{N}_{+}. (3) Bpk,n(t)B_{p_{k,n}}(t) is reducible if and only if kN3k\in\mathbb{N}_{\geq3} and n=k1n=k-1; in that case

Bpk,k1(t)=(1+2ttk21t1)(B2,k2(t)+2tk2(1+t)),B_{p_{k,k-1}}(t)=\left(1+2t\frac{t^{k-2}-1}{t-1}\right)\left(B_{2,k-2}(t)+2t^{k-2}(1+t)\right),

and both factors are irreducible in Q[t]\mathbb{Q}[t].

These claims are based on experiments with 2k102\leq k\leq10 and n103n\leq10^3. The source notes that Eisenstein's criterion proves irreducibility for the two factors in the stated special case, but gives no resolution of the full assertions.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Maciej Ulas, “Strong arithmetic property of certain Stern polynomials”, arXiv:1909.10844 (2019).

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