Maximal Polynomials and the Ilieff-Sendov Conjecture

Abstract

In this paper, we consider those complex polynomials which have all their roots in the unit disk, one fixed root, and all the roots of their first derivatives as far as possible from a fixed point. We conjecture that any such polynomial has all the roots of its derivative on a circle centered at the fixed point, and as many of its own roots as possible on the unit circle. We prove a part of this conjecture, and use it to define an algorithm for constructing some of these polynomials. With this algorithm, we investigate the 1962 conjecture of Sendov and the 1969 conjecture of Goodman, Rahman and Ratti and (independently) Schmeisser, obtaining counterexamples of degrees $6$, $8$, $10$, and $12$ for the latter.

Locations

• Transactions of the American Mathematical Society - View - PDF