On the equation \(x_1^{m_1}+\cdots + x_n^{m_n} = ax_1 \cdots x_n\) over a finite field (Q2467322)

Let \(N\) be the number of solutions of the equation \[ x_1^{m_1}+\cdots + x_n^{m_n} = ax_1 \cdots x_n \] over the finite field \(\mathbb F_q=\mathbb F_{p^s}\). \textit{L.~Carlitz} [Monatsh. Math. 58, 5--12 (1954; Zbl 0055.26803)] found formulas for \(N\) when \(n=3\) or 4, \(m_1=\cdots=m_n=2\). In an earlier paper [Acta Appl. Math. 85, No. 1--3, 35--39 (2005; Zbl 1126.11019)], the author obtained formulas for \(N\) when \(d=\gcd(\sum_{j=1}^nm/m_j-m, (q-1)/m)=1\), where \(m=\text{lcm}[m_1,\cdots,m_n]\), under a certain restriction on the exponents. In this paper, the author gives a (highly technical) formula for \(N\) when \(md>2\) and there exists an \(l\) such that \(md\mid(p^l+1)\). She starts with the expression for \(N\) in terms of the number of solutions of the corresponding diagonal equation and some special character sums. Then certain properties of these character sums are proved, especially an expression for these sums in terms of Gaussian sums is obtained. Thereafter an explicit formula for the number of solutions of a diagonal equation under a certain restriction on the exponents is got. These results are used to prove the main result. She gives two immediate consequences of the main result and presents results of some numerical experiments.