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Title: On the Degree of Polynomials Computing Square Roots Mod p
For an odd prime p, we say f(X) ∈ F_p[X] computes square roots in F_p if, for all nonzero perfect squares a ∈ F_p, we have f(a)² = a. When p ≡ 3 mod 4, it is well known that f(X) = X^{(p+1)/4} computes square roots. This degree is surprisingly low (and in fact lowest possible), since we have specified (p-1)/2 evaluations (up to sign) of the polynomial f(X). On the other hand, for p ≡ 1 mod 4 there was previously no nontrivial bound known on the lowest degree of a polynomial computing square roots in F_p. We show that for all p ≡ 1 mod 4, the degree of a polynomial computing square roots has degree at least p/3. Our main new ingredient is a general lemma which may be of independent interest: powers of a low degree polynomial cannot have too many consecutive zero coefficients. The proof method also yields a robust version: any polynomial that computes square roots for 99% of the squares also has degree almost p/3. In the other direction, Agou, Deliglése, and Nicolas [Agou et al., 2003] showed that for infinitely many p ≡ 1 mod 4, the degree of a polynomial computing square roots can be as small as 3p/8.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2053473 2401536
PAR ID:
10582069
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Editor(s):
Santhanam, Rahul
Publisher / Repository:
Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik
Date Published:
Volume:
300
ISSN:
1868-8969
ISBN:
978-3-95977-331-7
Page Range / eLocation ID:
25:1-25:14
Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
Algebraic Computation Polynomials Computing Square roots Reed-Solomon Codes Computing methodologies → Representation of mathematical functions Computing methodologies → Number theory algorithms Mathematics of computing → Coding theory
Format(s):
Medium: X Size: 14 pages; 734618 bytes Other: application/pdf
Size(s):
14 pages 734618 bytes
Right(s):
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license; info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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