The Elekes-Szabó theorem in four dimensions (Q1617937)

Let \(F\) be an irreducible polynomial in 4 variables with complex coefficients with degree \(\delta\), such that none of its first partial derivatives is identically zero. Let \(A,B,C,D\) denote finite sets of complex numbers. Let \(Z(F)\) denote the zero set of \(F\). The paper proves that \(|Z(F)\cap (A\times B\times C \times D) | =O( |A|^{2/3}|B|^{2/3}|C|^{2/3}|D|^{2/3} +|A||B|+|A||C|+|A||D|+|B||C|+|B||D|+|C||D|)\), where the constant in the \(O()\) term depends polinomilally on \(\delta\), or \(Z(F)\) exhibits some very strong structure. This is the natural 4-variable analogue of the 3-variable result of the authors [Duke Math. J. 165, No. 18, 3517--3566 (2016; Zbl 1365.52023)]. Three applications of the result are shown.