Mixed \(q\)-analogues, lacunary polynomials and Truesdellian partial differential equations (Q2566771)

The paper is devoted to the study of certain special multiparameter families of polynomials, in general lacunary, whose expansion about both \(x=0\) and \(x=1\) can ``almost'' be described in a simple explicit way. The study is placed in the framework of questions about mixed q-analogues, which are introduced in the paper, with fewest terms. Indeed the author asks ``Of all mixed q-analogues with coefficient degree d of a product of linear forms, which has the fewest terms?'' The properties of the most tractable of the polynomials obtained are established with the aid of solutions to partial differential equations of a type much studied by Truesdell. Finally, further questions and an interesting conjecture are posed.