The relative approximation degree in valued function fields (Q2636961)

The paper continues the work of \textit{I. Kaplansky} done in [Duke Math. J. 9, 303--321 (1942; Zbl 0063.03135)] in which he laid the foundations for an understanding of immediate extensions of valued fields. In this paper, the authors give a necessary and sufficient condition when an immediate valued function field of transcendence degree one is henselian rational i.e., generated modulo henselization by a single element. Maximal valued fields and algebraically maximal valued fields are also characterized using approximation types. Like Lüroth's Theorem, a formula to calculate the degree of \(K(x)^h/K(f(x))^h\) is given where \(h\) stands for the henselization. The results presented in this paper are crucial for the proof of henselian rationality over tame fields.