Finding all solutions related to Steinmetz's theorem (Q1193169): Difference between revisions

Let \(h_ j\) and \(F_ j\), \(j=1,\ldots,n\) be non-vanishing meromorphic functions and let \(g\) be a non-constant entire function. Suppose that \(\sum^ n_{j=1}F_ j(g)h_ j=0\) and that \(\sum^ n_{j=1}T(r,h_ j)=O(T(r,g))\). A theorem of \textit{N. Steinmetz} [Math. Z. 170, 169-180 (1980; Zbl 0425.34006)] says that under these hypotheses, there exist polynomials \(p_ 1,\ldots,p_ n\) that do not all vanish such that \(\sum^ n_{j=1}p_ j(g)h_ j=0\). In this paper it is shown how one can obtain all \(n\)-tuples \((p_ 1,\ldots,p_ n)\) with this property. In fact, a basis \(\{(p_{1k},\ldots,p_{nk})\}_{k=1,\ldots,m}\) of the vector space of all \(n\)-tuples \((F_ 1,\ldots,F_ n)\) satisfying \(\sum^ n_{j=1}F_ j(g)h_ j=0\) is constructed, that is, each such \(n\)-tuple may be written uniquely in the form \((F_ 1,\ldots,F_ n)=\sum^ m_{k=1}G_ k(p_{1k},\ldots,p_{nk})\) for certain meromorphic functions \(G_ k\). Here the \(p_{ik}\) are polynomials whose degree is bounded by \[ 2(n-1)[\liminf_{r\to\infty}(\sum^ n_{j=1}T(r,h_ j))/T(r,g)]+1. \]