Covering systems of polynomial rings over finite fields (Q6992574)

A covering system of the integers is a system of congruences \((a_i \pmod{n_i})_{i=1}^k\) such that every integer \(b\) satisfies \(b\equiv a_i \pmod{n_i}\) for at least one \(i\in\{1,\ldots,k\}\). This concept was coined by P. Erdős, who used it in solving a certain problem posed to him by N. P. Romanoff in the 1930s. \textit{P. Erdős} published his ideas later in two papers [Summa Brasil. Math. 2, 113--123 (1950; Zbl 0041.36808)] and [Mat. Lapok 3, No. 2, 122--128 (in Hungarian) (1952; Zbl 0063.09152)]. He immediately observed several challenging problems connected with this notion. Two of them are: \N\N(a) does there exist a distinct covering system (no two of the involved congruences have associate moduli) with all moduli odd, \N\N(b) given an \(N>0\) does there exist a covering system with distinct moduli such that \(n_i>N\) for each \(i\in\{1,\dots,k\}\). \N\NThe first problem is still open in general, but a partial answer can be found in Corollary 2' of the reviewer's paper [Acta Arith. 26, 223--231 (1975; Zbl 0268.10044)]. In 2015 \textit{B. Hough} [Ann. Math. (2) 181, No. 1, 361--382 (2015; Zbl 1344.11015)] answered the second problem in the negative (see also \textit{P. Balister} et al. [Invent. Math. 228, No. 1, 377--414 (2022; Zbl 1511.11007)]). Generalizations of the concept of covering system to rings and groups appeared already in 1950s. For more details and results about covering systems till the turn of 1970s and 1980s cf. the reviewer's [Mitt. Math. Semin. Gießen 150 (1981; Zbl 0479.10032)].\N\NIn the thesis under review the author investigates the concept of a covering system over the polynomial rings \(\mathbb{F}_q[x]\) over a finite field \(\mathbb{F}_q\). The first three chapters of the Thesis (14 p.) contain an overview of the classical case of covering systems over \(\mathbb{Z}\) giving some new examples. \N\NIn Chapter~4 entitled ``Analogies between \(\mathbb{Z}\) and \(\mathbb{F}_q\)'' (7~p.) the author reproves known analogies between these two algebraic structures, as being the principal ideal domain, finiteness of units, infinitude of primes, both are residually finite.\N\NIn Chapter~5 (2~p.) he introduces the notion of the covering system on \(\mathbb{F}_q[x]\) and proves the elementary fact that to verify the covering property it is sufficient to check that the system covers all polynomials possessing degree less than the l.c.m. of degrees of all moduli of the system. Such a verification is the main proof technique in the next chapter. \N\NIn this last chapter~6 (10 p.) he restricts his attention to the case \(q=2\) and he constructs several distinct covering system of \(\mathbb{F}_2[x]\). He proves here that there is no distinct covering system of \(\mathbb{F}_2[x]\) using at most one polynomial of each degree \(\geq 1\). The chapter culminates in formulation of a conjecture analogous to the above mentioned Erdős' minimum modulus problem for \(\mathbb{F}_2[x]\) which was disproved for general \(q\) by \textit{Huixi Li} et al. [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 152, No. 9, 3731--3742 (2024; Zbl 1558.11011)]. All considerations employ in essence elementary methods.