New York Journal of Mathematics
Volume 13 (2007) 97-106

  

Karl Zimmermann

Commuting polynomials and self-similarity


Published: March 16, 2007
Keywords: Polynomial, commute, field, root of unity, Chebyshev polynomial
Subject: 12Y05

Abstract
Let F be an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0 and f(x) a polynomial of degree strictly greater than one in F[x]. We show that the number of degree k polynomials with coefficients in F that commute with f (under composition) is either zero or equal to the number of degree one polynomials with coefficients in F that commute with f. As a corollary, we obtain a theorem of E. A. Bertram characterizing those polynomials commuting with a Chebyshev polynomial.

Author information

Department of Mathematics, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308, USA
zimmermk@union.edu