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Let $F$ be a field, and $P(X_1,\dots,X_m)$, $Q(X_1,\dots,X_m) \in F[X_1,\dots,X_m]$ two relatively prime polynomials. Now consider $n$ new polynomials $R_1(Y_{1 1},\dots,Y_{1 n}) \in F[Y_{11},\dots,Y_{1n}]$, $\dots$, $R_m(Y_{m 1},\dots,Y_{m n}) \in F[Y_{m1},\dots,Y_{mn}]$ in the new $mn$ indeterminates $Y_{11},\dots,Y_{1n},\dots,Y_{m1},\dots,Y_{mn}$, and assume that $R_1,\dots,R_m$ all have positive degree. My question is: are the polynomials $P(R_1(Y_{1 1},\dots,Y_{1 n}),\dots,R_m(Y_{m 1},\dots,Y_{m n}) )$ and $Q(R_1(Y_{1 1},\dots,Y_{1 n}),\dots,R_m(Y_{m 1},\dots,Y_{m n}))$, obtained from $P$ and $Q$ by substituting $R_i$ to each $X_i$ for $i=1,\dots,m$, relatively prime?

I don't know the answer in general. Thank you very much in advance for your kind attention.

NOTE The answer is positive for $m=n=1$. This is an easy consequence of following simple

Theorem. Let $F$ be a field, $\bar{F}$ its algebraic closure, and $P(X), Q(X) \in F[X]$. $P$ and $Q$ are relatively prime in F[X] if and only if they have no common root in $\bar{F}$.

Proof. The theorem follows immediately from the simple result proved in the post Given fields $K\subseteq L$, why does $f,g$ relatively prime in $K[x]$ imply relatively prime in $L[x]$? QED

Now suppose that $P(R(Y)$ and $Q(R(Y))$ are not relatively prime in $F[Y]$. Then they have a common root $y \in \bar{F}$, so that $x=R(y)$ turns out be a common root of $P(X)$ and $Q(X)$ in $\bar{F}$, which implies that $P(X)$ and $Q(X)$ are not relatively prime, contradicting the hypothesis.

  • There is a much simpler proof for $m=1$, I assume you can find it. ;) – Martin Brandenburg Aug 25 '24 at 21:25
  • @MartinBrandenburg Dear Martin, first of all thank you for having kindly commented on my post. Unfortunately I have not been studying mathematics in the last couple of years, and I am quite rusty now, so I cannot guess the proof you have in mind. Any hint is welcome! – Maurizio Barbato Aug 26 '24 at 10:56
  • Maybe, I understood what you have in mind for $m=1$. From Bézout's Identity there exist $S(X),T(X) \in F[X]$ such that $S(X)P(X)+T(X)Q(X)=1$. Then $S(R(Y_1,\dots,Y_n))P(R(Y_1,\dots,Y_n))+T(R(Y_1,\dots,Y_n))Q(R(Y_1,\dots,Y_n))=1$, from which we deduce that $P(R(Y_1,\dots,Y_n))$ and $Q(R(Y_1,\dots,Y_n))$ are relatively prime. – Maurizio Barbato Aug 28 '24 at 10:38
  • Exactly. $\phantom{---}$ – Martin Brandenburg Aug 28 '24 at 11:16
  • @MartinBrandenburg You were right: it is a far more direct proof! I have also reformulated the statement of the post in a more "symmetric" way. In any case, I cannot figure out what happens for $m > 1$: I could not prove that the two new polynomials obtained by substitution are relatively prime nor I could find some counterexample up to now. – Maurizio Barbato Aug 30 '24 at 13:40
  • Please do not delete then repost comments, @MaurizioBarbato. – Shaun Aug 30 '24 at 15:02
  • @Shaun Ok, that's fine. I deleted my comment only to rephrase it in a better way. – Maurizio Barbato Aug 30 '24 at 19:54
  • Now posted to MO, https://mathoverflow.net/questions/477866/coprime-polynomials-and-polynomial-substitution – Gerry Myerson Aug 31 '24 at 01:15

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