Rings with commuting \(n\)-th powers (Q1084158)

Let \(n\), \(r\), and \(s\) denote positive integers, and let \(p\) be a prime. Say that the ordered triple \((p;r,s)\) belongs to \(n\) if \((p,n)=1\) and \(1+p^ i+p^{2i}+...+p^{r-i}\) divides \(n\), where \(i=(r,s)\). For \(s<r\), define \(R(p;r,s)\) to be the ring of matrices of the form \(\left[\begin{matrix} a&b\\ 0&a^{p^ s}\end{matrix}\right]\), where \(a,b\in GF(p^ r)\). Call the ring \(R\) with 1 a \(P_ n\)-ring if \(R\) satisfies the identity \([x^ n,y^ n]=0\) and \(n[x,y]=0\) implies \([x,y]=0\). Extending his previous result for \(n=3\) [Acta Math. Hung. 45, 297-300 (1985; Zbl 0575.16004)], the author establishes a characterization of \(P_ n\)-rings; specifically, \(R\) is a \(P_ n\)-ring if and only if \(R\) is either commutative, or is a subdirect product of a commutative ring and rings \(R(p;r,s)\) with \((p;r,s)\) belonging to \(n\). He then deduces several commutativity theorems, including the following generalization of a result of \textit{W. K. Nicholson} and \textit{A. Yaqub} [Can. Math. Bull. 22, 419-423 (1979; Zbl 0605.16020 below)]: if \(R\) with 1 satisfies the identities \([x^ n,y^ n]=0\) for \(n=n_ 1,n_ 2,...,n_ t\) with \((n_ 1,n_ 2,...,n_ t)=1\), then \(R\) is commutative.