An improvement of a theorem of Carlitz (Q2301897)

Applying \textit{C. Chevalley}'s theorem [Abh. Math. Semin. Hamb. Univ. 11, 73--75 (1935; Zbl 0011.14504)], \textit{L. Carlitz} [Duke Math. J. 18, 811--819 (1951; Zbl 0045.01302)] obtained a result about the number of variables needed for a system of polynomials with coefficients in \(\mathbf{F}_q[X]\) to have a solution other than the trivial one. The authors of the present paper establish an improvement of Carlitz's result (Corollary 8) as a consequence of their generalization (Theorem 6) of \textit{O. Moreno} and \textit{C. J. Moreno}'s theorem [Am. J. Math. 117, 241--244 (1995; Zbl 0824.11017)] which in turn is an improvement of \textit{N. M. Katz}'s theorem [Am. J. Math. 93, 485--499 (1971; Zbl 0237.12012)]. This is done using the method of restriction of scalars. Examples are provided to show that the improvement is significant.