Does multivariate polynomial over a finite field always have a solution (in the field)

abstract-algebrafinite-fieldspolynomials

Let $K = F_{p^e}$ be a finite field. Say I have a single polynomial $f \in K[x_1,\ldots, x_n]$ of degree $d$.

Under what conditions on $n$ and $d$ can I claim that a root to $f$ always exists? In other words, do there exist polynomials over finite fields with an arbitrary number of variables and bounded degree that have no roots in the field?

If a root exists, can I compute it efficiently?

Best Answer

You can't do it with $n$ and $d$ alone, unless $d=1$ (which is a hyperplane and so is easy to find all solutions).

For example, we know $\mathbb{F}_{p^{2e}}$ is a degree 2 extension of $\mathbb{F}_{p^e}$, so there is an irreducible quadratic $x^2+ax+b$ in $\mathbb{F}_{p^e}[x]$. Consequently, $$ (a_1x_1+\dots+a_nx_n)^2+a(a_1x_1+\dots+a_nx_n)+b=0 $$ has no solutions for all $(a_1,\dots,a_n)\in\mathbb{F}_{p^e}^n-\{(0,\dots,0\}$. Similar construction gives no $d>1$ can guarantees the existence of a zero regardless of how large $n$ is.

Note that this doesn't contradict Chavelley-Warning theorem, since the number of zeros, $0$, is divisible by $p$.