The additive index of polynomials over finite fields (Q2668090)

This paper presents a nice result regarding the decomposition of polynomials over a finite field \(\mathbb{F}_{q}\). In particular, it is shown that any polynomial \(P(x)\in \mathbb{F}_{q}[x]\) can be decomposed uniquely in its additive index form as \(P(x)= f(L(x)) + M(x)\) with both \(L(x), M(x)\) linearized polynomials of \(\mathbb{F}_{q}\), \(\deg(M(x)< \deg(L(x)\), \(L(x)\) splits completely over \(\mathbb{F}_q\) and \(L(x)\) is of the maximal degree. The paper concludes with several applications.