A bound for the orders of the components of a system of algebraic difference equations (Q2545715)

Let \(A_1, \ldots, A_n\) be difference polynomials in indeterminates \(y_1, \ldots, y_k\) (coefficients in an inverse difference field), and let \(r_i\) be the maximal order of any \(A_j\) in \(y_i\). It is shown that if every component of \(\{A_1, \ldots, A_n\}\) is of dimension \(0\), then no component has order exceeding \(R=r_1+ \ldots +r_k\). (Except for the restriction on the dimension of every component this is analogous to a result of \textit{J. F. Ritt} [Ann. Math. (2) 36, 303--312 (1935; Zbl 0012.20902; JFM 61.0484.02)] for differential polynomials.) A slightly better bound \(G\) which cannot be described briefly is obtained in the case \(n=k\). If \(n=k=2\), \(G\) agrees with a bound conjectured by Jacobi for differential equations and is, in a certain sense, best possible. In the decade since publication of this paper bounds have been obtained without the restriction that every component have dimension \(0\). See the forthcoming paper of \textit{B. A. Lando} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 32, 8--12 (1972; Zbl 0241.12108)] for the best result of this type presently known.