Functional identities of degree two (Q1891715)

Let \(R\) be a prime ring with extended centroid \(C\). A functional identity of degree two for \(R\) is an expression \(\sum^n_{i=1} F_i (y) xa_i+\sum^m_{i=1} G_i (x) yb_i+\sum^k_{i=1} c_i yH_i(x)+\sum^s_{i=1} d_i xK_i(y)\) which yields zero for all \(x, y \in R\), where all \(a_i, b_i, c_i, d_i \in R\), and all \(F_i\), \(G_i\), \(H_i\), \(K_i\) are additive maps from \(R\) to \(RC\). The main theorem shows that when a prime ring \(R\) satisfies such an identity, and when the coefficients in each summand are \(C\)-independent sets, then either \(R\) satisfies a generalized polynomial identity, or the functional identity is trivial. In the latter case the author derives explicit relations between the constants and functions in the identity which force all terms to cancel. As a simple illustration, when \(n=m=k=s=1\), all subscripts are eliminated, and \(R\) does not satisfy a generalized polynomial identity, then \(F(y)=cyp+u(y)d\), \(G(x)=dxq-v(x)c\), \(H(x)=-pxa+v(x)b\), and \(K(y)=-qyb-u(y)a\) for \(p\) and \(q\) in the symmetric quotient ring of \(R\), and \(u\) and \(v\) additive maps of \(R\) into \(C\).