On the hit problem for the polynomial algebra (Q373680)

The graded polynomial algebra \(P_k:=\mathbb{F}_2[x_1,x_2,\dots,x_k]\) over the two-element field \(\mathbb{F}_2\) with \(|x_j|=1\), \(j=\overline{1,k}\), has a natural \(\mathcal{A}\)-module structure (where \(\mathcal{A}\) is the mod \(2\) Steenrod algebra), since it is the mod \(2\) cohomology algebra of the product of \(k\) copies of the infinite projective space \(\mathbb{R}\mathrm{P}^{\infty}\). In this note, the author considers the \textit{hit problem} -- the task of finding a minimal set of generators for the \(\mathcal{A}\)-module \(P_k\). This is equivalent to finding an additive basis for \(QP_k:=P_k/\mathcal{A}^+P_k\), where \(\mathcal{A}^+P_k\) is the submodule of \(P_k\) consisting of \textit{hit polynomials} -- the finite sums \(\sum_{i>0}Sq^i(f_i)\), \(f_i\in P_k\). The hit problem has been set up and solved in the cases \(k=1,2\) by \textit{F.\ P.\ Peterson} [``Generators of \(H^*(RP^\infty\times RP^\infty)\) as a module over the Steenrod algebra'', Abstr. Am Math. Soc. 833 (1987)], while the case \(k=3\) was treated and solved by \textit{M. Kameko} in his PhD thesis [Generators of the cohomology of \(BV_4\). Toyama University (2003)]. The main issue of this Note is the presentation of the solution of the hit problem for \(k=4\). More precisely, some relations among the dimensions of the graded \(\mathbb{F}_2\)-vector space \(QP_k\) in so-called generic degrees are given, and they are applied to obtain a table of these dimensions in the case \(k=4\).