A classification of barycentrically associative polynomial functions (Q499643)

Consider the set \(N\) of nonnegative integers, a set \(X\neq\emptyset\), \(X^*= \bigcup_{n\in N} X^n\) the set of all tuples on \(X\), \(X^0= \{\varepsilon\}\), where \(\varepsilon\) denotes the unique \(0\)-tuple on \(X\), a function \(F:X^n\to X\) named \(n\)-ary and a function \(F:X^*\to X\) named \(*\)-ary. Suppose that all \(*\)-ary functions \(F: X^*\to X\) satisfies \(F(\varepsilon)= \varepsilon\). The \(n\)-ary part \(F_n\) of \(F:X^*\to X\) is the restriction of \(F\) to \(X^n\), that is, \(F_n= F|_{X^n}\). A function \(F: X^*\to X\) is named barycentrically associative (B-associative) if \[ (\forall k\in N)(\forall(x, z)\in X^*\times X^*)(\forall y\in X^k)(F(x,y,z)= F(x,kF(y), z)), \] where \(F(x,kF(y), z)= F(x,\underbrace{F(y),\dots,F(y)}_{k\text{\,times}},z)\). Let \(\mathcal{R}\) be an infinite commutative integral domain (with identity). A function \(F:\mathcal{R}^*\to\mathcal{R}\) is named a \(*\)-ary polynomial function if \(F_n=F|_{\mathcal{R}^n}\) is a polynomial function for every integer \(n\geq 1\). The authors provide a complete description of those polynomial functions \(F:\mathcal{R}^n\to\mathcal{R}\) which are B-associative. For every \(n\geq 1\) and every \(z\in\mathcal{R}\) such that \[ \Delta^z_n= \sum^n_{i=1} z^{n-i}(1-z)^{i-1}= \Delta^{1-z}_n \] is invertible, define the weighted arithmetic mean function \(M^z_n:\mathcal{R}^n\to\mathcal{R}\) by \[ M^z_n(x)= (\Delta^z_n)^{-1} \sum^n_{i=1} z^{n-i}(1-z)^{i-1}x_i, \] where \(x=(x_1,\dots, x_n)\). For every \(z\in\mathcal{R}\) define \[ n(z)= \text{inf}\{n\geq 1,\;\Delta^z_n\text{ is not invertible}\}. \] If \(M^z_n\) is invertible for \(n\geq 1\), then set \(n(z)=+\infty\). For \(F:X^*\to X\), \(k\geq 1\) or \(k=+\infty\), denote by \([F]_k\) the set of functions \(G:X^*\to X\) obtained from \(F\) replacing \(F_n\) with a constant function for every \(n\geq k\). Particularly \([F]_\infty= \{F\}\). The authors prove the main theorem: A polynomial function \(F:\mathcal{R}^*\to\mathcal{R}\) is B-associative if and only if the following two conditions hold (i) \((\exists z\in\mathcal{R})((\exists k\geq 1)\vee(\exists k=+\infty))(k\leq n(z))(F\in[M^z]_k)\), (ii) there exists a polynomial function \(Q:\mathcal{R}^2\to\mathcal{R}\) of degree \(\geq 1\) such that \[ F_1(x)= x,\;F_2(x,y)= Q(x,y)x+ (1-Q(x,y))y \] and \(F_n\) is constant for every \(n\geq 3\).