Polynomials dividing infinitely many quadrinomials or quintinomials (Q4484404)

Let \(K\) be a field of characteristic zero. A monic polynomial \(P\in K[X]\) which is the sum of \(k\) monomials is called a standard \(k\)-nomial. Put \[ \text{PR}_k = \{P\in {\mathbb Q}[X] : \exists Q\in {\mathbb Q}[X], \exists r\in {\mathbb N}^*, \deg(Q)<k, P(X)\mid Q[X^r]\}. \] A characterization of square-free elements of \(\text{PR}_k\) due to \textit{H. P. Schlickewei} and \textit{C. Viola} [Number theory in progress. Vol. 1, Zakopane 1997, 445-450 (1999; Zbl 0928.11016)] plays an important role in this paper. In 1965 \textit{E. Posner} and \textit{H. Rumsey} [Mich. Math. J. 12, 339-348 (1965; Zbl 0144.03504)] conjectured that if a polynomial \(P\) with rational coefficients divides infinitely many standard \(k\)-nomials over \(\mathbb Q\) then \(P\in \text{PR}_k\) (the converse is almost obvious). The case \(k=2\) is very simple, the conjecture was proved by Győry and Schinzel for \(k=3\) and disproved for every \(k>3\). Here the authors prove that: Theorem. A square-free polynomial \(P\in \mathbb Q[X]\) with \(P(0)\not=0\) divides infinitely many standard quadrinomials with non-zero constant term over \(\mathbb Q\) if and only if either \(P\in \text{PR}_4\) or \(P\) divides over \(\mathbb Q\) two different standard quadrinomials with the same exponent quadruple (see the paper for the definition). They also obtain a similar result for quintinomials.