Polynomial functions (mod m) (Q1057319): Difference between revisions

Let \(\tau\) (m) denote the number of mappings from \({\mathbb{Z}}/m{\mathbb{Z}}\) to itself which are given by polynomials. Being multiplicative, \(\tau\) is completely determined by its values at prime powers \(p^ n\). The first theorem of the present paper (''Theorem 2.2'') computes \(\tau (p^ n)\) explicitly. (Unfortunately a misprint mars the statement: \(\tau (p^ p)\) should be \(\tau (p^ n).)\) The result is then extended to mappings from the product of \(k\geq 2\) copies of \({\mathbb{Z}}/m{\mathbb{Z}}\) to \({\mathbb{Z}}/m{\mathbb{Z}}\); the number \(\tau_ k(p^ n)\) (definition analogous to that of \(\tau (p^ n))\) is \(p^ f\) with \(f=\left( \begin{matrix} k+n\\ k+1\end{matrix} \right) p^ k\), provided \(n\leq p\). Finally, the number of permutations of \({\mathbb{Z}}/p^ n{\mathbb{Z}}\) given by polynomials is computed.