On the triviality index of knots (Q750950)

In an earlier paper the first author defined the ``triviality index'' O(K) of a knot (an invariant related to the unknotting number and defined in terms of diagrams of the knot) and showed that if O(K)\(\geq n\) then the Conway polynomial \(\nabla_ K(z)\equiv 1\) modulo \(z^{n-1}(if\) n is even) and modulo \(z^ n\) (if n is odd). Here it is shown that (A) if \(O(K)=2n\) then the coefficient of \(z^{2n}\) in \(\nabla_ K(z)\) is even; (B) for each integer \(n>1\) there are infinitely many knots K with \(O(K)=n\); (C) if f(z) is an even polynomial which is congruent to \(1+z^ 4\) modulo \((2,z^ 6)\) in Z[z] then there is a knot K with \(O(K)=3\) and \(\nabla_ K(z)=f(z)\).