Prime Rational Functions and Integral Polynomials

Let f(x) be a complex rational function. In this work, we study conditions under which f(x) cannot be written as the composition of two rational functions which are not units under the operation of function composition. In this case, we say that f(x) is prime. We give sufficient conditions for complex rational functions to be prime in terms of their degrees and their critical values, and we derive some conditions for the case of complex polynomials. We consider also the divisibility of integral polynomials, and we present a generalization of a theorem of Nieto. We show that if f(x) and g(x) are integral polynomials such that the content of g divides the content of f and g(n) divides f(n) for an integer n whose absolute value is larger than a certain bound, then g(x) divides f(x) in Z[x]. In addition, given an integral polynomial f(x), we provide a method to determine if f is irreducible over Z, and if not, find one of its divisors in Z[x].

Name thesis:degree_name

M.Sc. Mathematics and Statistics

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Faculty of Mathematics and Science

Department dc:contributor.department

Department of Mathematics

Grantor

Brock University

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Larone, Jesse

• Prime polynomials
• Prime rational functions
• Critical Values
• Resultant
• Integral polynomials

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10464/5972

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:brocku.scholaris.ca:10464/5972