International Journal of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences
Volume 10 (1987), Issue 3, Pages 535-544
doi:10.1155/S0161171287000644

On permutation polynomials over finite fields

R.A. Mollin and C. Small

Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Calgary, Calgary T2N 1N4, Alberta, Canada

Abstract

A polynomial f over a finite field F is called a permutation polynomial if the mapping FF defined by f is one-to-one. In this paper we consider the problem of characterizing permutation polynomials; that is, we seek conditions on the coefficients of a polynomial which are necessary and sufficient for it to represent a permutation. We also give some results bearing on a conjecture of Carlitz which says essentially that for any even integer m, the cardinality of finite fields admitting permutation polynomials of degree m is bounded.