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{{nofootnotes|date=June 2011}}
In [[mathematics]], the '''additive polynomials''' are an important topic in classical [[algebraic number theory]].

==Definition==
Let ''k'' be a [[field (mathematics)|field]] of [[characteristic (algebra)|characteristic]] ''p'', with ''p'' a [[prime number]]. A [[polynomial]] ''P''(''x'') with coefficients in ''k'' is called an '''additive polynomial''', or a '''[[Frobenius endomorphism|Frobenius]] polynomial''', if

:<math>P(a+b)=P(a)+P(b)\,</math>

as polynomials in ''a'' and ''b''. It is equivalent to assume that this equality holds for all ''a'' and ''b'' in some infinite field containing ''k'', such as its algebraic closure.

Occasionally '''absolutely additive''' is used for the condition above, and '''additive''' is used for the weaker condition that ''P''(''a'' + ''b'') = ''P''(''a'') + ''P''(''b'') for all ''a'' and ''b'' in the field. For infinite fields the conditions are equivalent, but for finite fields they are not, and the weaker condition is the "wrong" one and does not behave well. For example, over a field of order ''q'' any multiple ''P'' of ''x''''q'' − ''x'' will satisfy ''P''(''a'' + ''b'') = ''P''(''a'') + ''P''(''b'') for all ''a'' and ''b'' in the field, but will usually not be (absolutely) additive.

== Examples ==
The polynomial ''x''''p'' is additive. Indeed, for any ''a'' and ''b'' in the algebraic closure of ''k'' one has by the [[binomial theorem]]

:<math>(a+b)^p = \sum_{n=0}^p {p \choose n} a^n b^{p-n}.</math>

Since ''p'' is prime, for all ''n'' = 1, ..., ''p''−1 the [[binomial coefficient]] <math>\scriptstyle{p \choose n}</math> is divisible by ''p'', which implies that

:<math>(a+b)^p \equiv a^p+b^p \mod p</math>

as polynomials in ''a'' and ''b''.

Similarly all the polynomials of the form

:<math>\tau_p^n(x)=x^{p^n}</math>

are additive, where ''n'' is a non-negative integer.

==The ring of additive polynomials==
It is quite easy to prove that any [[linear combination]] of polynomials <math>\scriptstyle\tau_p^n(x)</math> with coefficients in ''k'' is also an additive polynomial. An interesting question is whether there are other additive polynomials except these linear combinations. The answer is that these are the only ones.

One can check that if ''P''(''x'') and ''M''(''x'') are additive polynomials, then so are ''P''(''x'') + ''M''(''x'') and ''P''(''M''(''x'')). These imply that the additive polynomials form a [[ring (mathematics)|ring]] under polynomial addition and composition. This ring is denoted

:<math>k\{ \tau_p\}.\,</math>

This ring is not commutative unless ''k'' equals the field <math>\scriptstyle \mathbb{F}_p=\mathbf{Z}/p\mathbf{Z}</math> (see [[modular arithmetic]]). Indeed, consider the additive polynomials ''ax'' and ''x''''p'' for a coefficient ''a'' in ''k''. For them to commute under composition, we must have

:<math>(ax)^p=ax^p,\,</math>

or ''a''''p'' − ''a'' = 0. This is false for ''a'' not a root of this equation, that is, for ''a'' outside <math>\scriptstyle\mathbb{F}_p.</math>

==The fundamental theorem of additive polynomials==
Let ''P''(''x'') be a polynomial with coefficients in ''k'', and <math>\scriptstyle\{w_1,\dots,w_m\}\subset k</math> be the set of its roots. Assuming that the roots of ''P''(''x'') are distinct (that is, ''P''(''x'') is [[separable polynomial|separable]]), then ''P''(''x'') is additive if and only if the set <math>\scriptstyle\{w_1,\dots,w_m\}</math> forms a [[group (mathematics)|group]] with the field addition.

==See also==
*[[Drinfeld module]]
*[[Additive function]]

==References==
* [[David Goss]], ''Basic Structures of Function Field Arithmetic'', 1996, Springer, Berlin. ISBN 3-540-61087-1.

==External links==
*{{MathWorld|title=Additive Polynomial|urlname=AdditivePolynomial}}

[[Category:Algebraic number theory]]
[[Category:Modular arithmetic]]
[[Category:Field theory]]
[[Category:Polynomials]]

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