Bounds for fixed point free elements in a transitive group and applications to curves over finite fields (Q1380508)

In a problem related to the number of fixed-point-free elements in finite groups, the authors investigate \(V_f\), the cardinality of the value set of a polynomial \(f\) of degree \(n\) over a finite field of cardinality \(q\). If \(f\) is not bijective, then \(V_f\leq q- (q-1)/n\). The authors show that if \(f\) is not bijective and the degree of \(f\) is prime to the characteristic, then asymptotically \(V_f\leq(5/6)q\).