Counting separable polynomials in Z/n[x]

Abstract: For a commutative ring

R

, a polynomial

f i n R [x]

is called separable if

R [x] / f

is a separable

R

-algebra. We derive formulae for the number of separable polynomials when

R = m a t h b b Z / n

, extending a result of L. Carlitz. For instance, we show that the number of separable polynomials in

m a t h b b Z / n [x]

that are separable is

p h i (n) n^{d} p r o d_{i} (1 - p_{i}^{- d})

where

n = p r o d p_{i}^{k_{i}}

is the prime factorisation of

n

and

p h i

is Euler's totient function.

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