On the multiplicative orders of \(\gamma\) and \(\gamma+\gamma^{-1}\) over finite fields (Q5941623)

Let \(F_q\) be the finite field of order \(q\). The multiplicative order ord\((\gamma)\) of a nonzero element \(\gamma\) of \(F_q\) is the smallest positive integer \(t\) with \(\gamma^t=1\). The author shows that the multiplicative orders of \(\gamma\) and \(\gamma+\gamma^{-1}\) are independent in the following sense: For any \(\varepsilon>0\), sufficiently large \(q\), and any positive divisors \(n\) and \(m\) of \(q-1\) with \(nm\geq q^{3/2+\varepsilon}\) there exists a nonzero element \(\gamma\) of \(F_q\) with ord\((\gamma)=n\) and ord\((\gamma+\gamma^{-1})=m\). The proof is based on bounds on character sums.