A skein relation for the HOMFLYPT polynomials of two-cable links (Q2464788)

In this paper it is shown that there is a skein relation for the HOMFLYPT polynomial involving 7 distinct 8-end tangles, which in particular gives a skein relation for the HOMFLYPT polynomial of 2-cable links. The results of this paper, together with results of \textit{A. Ishii} and \textit{T. Kanenobu} [Osaka J. Math. 42, 273--290 (2005; Zbl 1082.57004)], and a construction of \textit{T. Kanenobu} [Yokohama Math. J. 38, No. 2, 145--154 (1991; Zbl 0744.57006)], imply that for each positive integer \(N\), there exist \(2^N\) mutually distinct, amphicheiral, fibered 2-bridge knots, which are skein equivalent, share the same Kauffman and LG polynomials, and whose 2-cable links with the same framing share the same HOMPLYPT polynomial. Also, for each \(N\), there exist \(2^N\) mutually distinct, amphicheiral, fibered 2-bridge links, which are skein equivalent, share the same Kauffman, 2-variable Alexander and LG polynomials, and whose 2-cable links with the same framing share the same HOMPLYPT polynomial. It is also remarked that there are 11 pairs of 2-bridge knots and one pair of 2-bridge links through 20 crossings sharing all the above mentioned invariants.