On a question of Davenport and diagonal cubic forms over \mathbb{F}_q(t)

Abstract: Given a non-singular diagonal cubic hypersurface

X s u b s e t m a t h b b P^{n - 1}

over

m a t h b b F_{q} (t)

with

m a t h r m c h a r (m a t h b b F_{q}) e q 3

, we show that the number of rational points of height at most

| P |

is

O (| P |^{3 + v a r e p s i l o n})

for

n = 6

and

O (l v e r t P v e r t^{2 + v a r e p s i l o n})

for

n = 4

. In fact, if

n = 4

and

m a t h r m c h a r (m a t h b b F_{q}) > 3

we prove that the number of rational points away from any rational line contained in

X

is bounded by

O (| P |^{3 / 2 + v a r e p s i l o n})

. From the result in

6

variables we deduce weak approximation for diagonal cubic hypersurfaces for

n g e q 7

over

m a t h b b F_{q} (t)

when

m a t h r m c h a r (m a t h b b F_{q}) > 3

and handle Waring's problem for cubes in

7

variables over

m a t h b b F_{q} (t)

when

m a t h r m c h a r (m a t h b b F_{q}) e q 3

. Our results answer a question of Davenport regarding the number of solutions of bounded height to

x_{1}^{3} + x_{2}^{3} + x_{3}^{3} = x_{4}^{3} + x_{5}^{3} + x_{6}^{3}

with

x_{i} i n m a t h b b F_{q} [t]

.

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