Smale's mean value conjecture and the hyperbolic metric (Q1599500)

Let \(P\) be a polynomial of degree \(d\geq 2\) with critical points \(\{z_j\}\) (i.e., \(P'(z_j)=0)\). It was proved by \textit{S. Smale} [Bull. Am. Math. Soc., New Ser. 4, 1-36 (1981; Zbl 0456.12012)] that for every non-critical point \(z\in\mathbb{C}\) \[ \min_j \left|{P(z)-P(z_j) \over z-z_j} \right|\leq 4\bigl|P'(z) \bigr|. \] Smale's conjecture is that the factor 4 here can be replaced by 1 or even by \({d-1\over d}\). In the present paper, the bound is obtained with the constant \(4^{d-2\over d-1}\), and more precise relations are obtained for \(z\) outside the smallest disk containing all the critical points. The proofs are based on consideration of the hyperbolic metric.