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. 2018 Jul 4;2018(1):160. doi: 10.1186/s13660-018-1753-4

One kind hybrid character sums and their upper bound estimates

Jianhong Zhao 1, Xiao Wang 2,
PMCID: PMC6061521  PMID: 30137888

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is applying the analysis method, the properties of Lucas polynomials and Gauss sums to study the estimation problems of some kind hybrid character sums. In the end, we obtain several sharp upper bound estimates for them. As some applications, we prove some new and interesting combinatorial identities.

Keywords: The hybrid character sums, Lucas polynomials, Upper bound estimate, Gauss sums, Combinatorial identity

Introduction

As usual, let q3 be an integer, χ denotes any Dirichlet character modq. The classical Gauss sum τ(χ) is defined by

τ(χ)=a=1qχ(a)e(aq),

where e(y)=e2πiy.

We know that this sum plays a very important role in analytic number theory; plenty of number theory problems (such as Dirichlet L-functions and distribution of primes) are closely related to it. Concerning the various elementary properties of τ(χ), some authors also studied it and obtained a series of interesting results, some conclusions can be found in Refs. [1] and [2]. For example, if χ is a primitive character modq, then, for any integer n, one has |τ(χ)|=q and the identity

a=1qχ(a)e(naq)=χ(n)τ(χ).

From the Euler formula we know that e(x)=cos(2πx)+isin(2πx). So scholars will naturally ask, for any positive integer n, whether there exists a similar estimate for

|a=1qχ(a)cosn(2πaq)|and|a=1qχ(a)sinn(2πaq)|. 1

The estimates or calculations for (1) are significant, because they are closely related to the famous Gauss sums, so they have many interesting applications in analytic number theory, especially various estimates for hybrid character sums and generalized Kloosterman sums.

As far as we know, it seems that nobody has studied the estimate for (1), at least we have not seen related papers before. In this paper, we shall use the analytic method, the properties of Lucas polynomials and Gauss sums to do research on these problems, and obtain some sharp upper bound estimates for them. Our main idea is to put the nth power sinn(x) (or cosn(x)) into a combination of sin(kx) (or cos(kx)), where 1kn. Then using the estimate for classical Gauss sums we give some sharp upper bound estimates for (1). As some applications of our main results, we also give some new and interesting combinatorial identities.

Main results and discussion

The main results in this paper are detailed in the following.

Theorem 1

If q is an integer with q>2, then, for any positive integer n and primitive character χmodq, we have the estimate

(a)|a=1q1χ(a)cos2n(2πaq)|(1(2nn)4n)q;(b)|a=1q1χ(a)cos2n1(2πaq)|q,

where (mn)=m!n!(mn)!.

Theorem 2

If q is an integer with q>2, then, for any positive integer n and primitive character χmodq, we have the estimate

(c)|a=1q1χ(a)sin2n(2πaq)|(1(2nn)4n)q;(d)|a=1q1χ(a)sin2n1(2πaq)|q.

From the method of proving Theorem 1 and the orthogonality of characters modq we can immediately deduce the following combinatorial identity.

Corollary

If n is any positive integer, then we have the identity

(4n2n)+(2nn)2=2k=0n(2nk)2.

Notes

Note that 2cos2x=cos(2x)+1 and |τ(χ)|=q; we have

|a=1q1χ(a)cos2(2πaq)|=12|a=1q1χ(a)cos(4πaq)+a=1q1χ(a)|=14|a=1q1χ(a)e(2aq)+a=1q1χ(a)e(2aq)|=14q|χ(2)+χ(2)|={12q,if χ(1)=1,0,if χ(1)=1.

Therefore, if n=1 and χ is an even primitive character modq, then the equal sign in our theorems holds. So the estimates in our Theorem 1 and Theorem 2 are the best.

Several simple lemmas

In order to prove our main results, we first introduce the Fibonacci polynomials and Lucas polynomials as follows.

For integer n0, the famous Fibonacci polynomials {Fn(x)} and Lucas polynomials {Ln(x)} are defined by F0(x)=0, F1(x)=1, L0(x)=2, L1(x)=x and Fn+2(x)=xFn+1(x)+Fn(x), Ln+2(x)=xLn+1(x)+Ln(x) for all n0. In fact the general terms of Fn(x) and Ln(x) are given by

Fn(x)=1x2+4[(x+x2+42)n(xx2+42)n]

and

Ln(x)=(x+x2+42)n+(xx2+42)n. 2

It is easy to obtain the identities

Fn+1(x)=k=0[n2](nkk)xn2kandLn(x)=k=0[n2]nnk(nkk)xn2k,

where (mn)=m!n!(mn)!, and [x] denotes the greatest integer ≤x.

Taking x=1, then {Fn(x)} becomes the Fibonacci sequences {Fn}, and {Ln(x)} becomes the Lucas sequences {Ln}. If we take x=2, then Fn(2)=Pn, the nth Pell numbers, P0=0, P1=1, and Pn+2=2Pn+1+Pn for all n0.

Since these sequences (or polynomials) occupy a more crucial position in the theory and application of mathematics, many scholars have studied their various elementary properties and obtained a series of important results. See Refs. [310]. Here we give some new properties of Lucas polynomials.

Lemma 1

If k is a non-negative integer, then we have the identities

L2k(2isinθ)=2cos(2kθ)andL2k(2icosθ)=(1)k2cos(2kθ);L2k+1(2isinθ)=2isin((2k+1)θ),

and

L2k+1(2icosθ)=(1)k2icos((2k+1)θ),

where i is the imaginary unit. That is to say, i2=1.

Proof

Taking x=2isinθ in (2), and note that x2+4=44sin2θ=4cos2θ, from the Euler formula we have

L2k(2isinθ)=(2isinθ+4cos2θ2)2k+(2isinθ4cos2θ2)2k=(isinθ+cosθ)2k+(isinθcosθ)2k=(cosθ+isinθ)2k+(cosθisinθ)2k=cos(2kθ)+isin(2kθ)+cos(2kθ)isin(2kθ)=2cos(2kθ)

and

L2k(2icosθ)=(2icosθ+4sin2θ2)2k+(2icosθ4sin2θ2)2k=(icosθ+sinθ)2k+(icosθsinθ)2k=(1)k(cosθisinθ)2k+(1)k(cosθ+isinθ)2k=(1)k2cos(2kθ).

This proves the first and second formulas of Lemma 1.

Similarly, we also have the identities

L2k+1(2isinθ)=(2isinθ+4cos2θ2)2k+1+(2isinθ4cos2θ2)2k+1=(isinθ+cosθ)2k+1+(isinθcosθ)2k+1=(cosθ+isinθ)2k+1(cosθisinθ)2k+1=cos((2k+1)θ)+isin((2k+1)θ)cos((2k+1)θ)+isin((2k+1)θ)=2isin((2k+1)θ)

and

L2k+1(2icosθ)=(2icosθ+4sin2θ2)2k+1+(2icosθ4sin2θ2)2k+1=(icosθ+sinθ)2k+1+(icosθsinθ)2k+1=i2k+1(cosθisinθ)2k+1+i2k+1(cosθ+isinθ)2k+1=(1)k2icos((2k+1)θ).

This completes the proof of Lemma 1. □

Lemma 2

If n is any non-negative integer, then we have the identities

x2n=(1)n2(2nn)L0(x)+k=1n(1)nk(2nnk)L2k(x)

and

x2n+1=k=0n(1)nk(2n+1nk)L2k+1(x).

Proof

From the definition of Ln(x) we know that L2k(x) is an even function. So we may suppose that

x2n=k=0nakL2k(x). 3

Taking x=2icosθ in (3) and applying Lemma 1, we have

(1)n4ncos2nθ=k=0nakL2k(2icosθ)=2k=0nak(1)kcos(2kθ). 4

Note that the identities

0π2cos(mθ)cos(nθ)dθ={π,if m=n0,0,if mn,2π,if m=n=0, 5

and

0πcos2n(θ)cos(2kθ)dθ=π(2n)!(2n2k)!!(2n+2k)!!=π4n(2nnk),

from (4) we have

ak(1)kπ=(1)n4n0πcos2n(θ)cos(2kθ)dθ=(1)nπ(2nnk)

or

a0=(1)n2(2nn)andak=(1)nk(2nnk),1kn. 6

Combining identities (3) and (6) we may immediately deduce the first formula of Lemma 2.

Similarly, since L2k+1(x) is an odd function, we can suppose that

x2n+1=k=0nbkL2k+1(x). 7

Taking x=2icosθ in (7), then applying Lemma 1 we have

(1)n4ncos2n+1θ=k=0nbk(1)kcos((2k+1)θ). 8

From (5) and (8) we may immediately deduce that

bk=2(1)nkπ4n0πcos2n+1(θ)cos((2k+1)θ)dθ=(1)nk(2n+1nk). 9

Now the second identity of Lemma 2 follows from (7) and (9). □

Lemma 3

If n is a positive integer, then we have the identity

k=1n(2nnk)=12(4n(2nn))andk=0n(2n+1nk)=4n.

Proof

First applying the binomial theorem we have the identity

k=02n(2n2nk)=k=02n(2nk)=(1+1)2n=4n. 10

On the other hand, we also have

k=02n(2nk)=(1+1)2n=k=0n(2nk)+k=n+12n(2nk)=k=0n(2nk)+k=1n(2nnk)=2k=1n(2nnk)+(2nn). 11

Combining (10) and (11) we can deduce

k=1n(2nnk)=12(4n(2nn)).

This proves the first formula of Lemma 3.

Similarly, we can deduce the second formula of Lemma 3. □

Proofs of the theorems

In this section, we complete the proofs of our main results. First we prove Theorem 1. Let q3 be an integer; χ is any even primitive character modq. Then taking x=2icos(2πaq) in the first formula of Lemma 2, multiplying both sides by χ(a) and summing over all 1aq1, and noting that

a=1q1χ(a)=0anda=1q1χ(a)e(±2kaq)=χ(±2k)τ(χ),

we have

(1)n4na=1q1χ(a)cos2n(2πaq)=(1)n(2nn)a=1q1χ(a)+2k=1n(1)nk(2nnk)a=1q1(1)kχ(a)cos(4kπaq)=(1)nk=1n(2nnk)a=1q1χ(a)[e(2kaq)+e(2kaq)]=(1)nτ(χ)k=1n(2nnk)(χ(2k)+χ(2k))=2(1)nχ(2)τ(χ)k=1n(2nnk)χ(k). 12

Note that |τ(χ)|=q, from (12) and Lemma 3 we have the estimate

|a=1q1χ(a)cos2n(2πaq)|=2q4n|k=1n(2nnk)χ(k)|2q4nk=1n(2nnk)=2q4n4n(2nn)2=(1(2nn)4n)q. 13

Similarly, taking x=2icos(2πaq) in the second formula of Lemma 2, then applying Lemma 1 we also have

(1)n4na=1q1χ(a)cos2n+1(2πaq)=k=0n(1)nk(2n+1nk)a=1q1(1)kχ(a)cos(2(2k+1)πaq)=(1)n2k=0n(2n+1nk)a=1q1χ(a)[e((2k+1)aq)+e((2k+1)aq)]=(1)nτ(χ)2k=0n(2n+1nk)(χ(2k+1)+χ(2k1))=(1)nτ(χ)k=0n(2n+1nk)χ(2k+1). 14

From (14) and Lemma 3 we may immediately deduce the estimate

|a=1q1χ(a)cos2n+1(2πaq)|=q4n|k=0n(2n+1nk)χ(2k+1)|q4nk=0n(2n+1nk)=q. 15

If χ is an odd primitive character modq, then it is very easy to prove that

|a=1q1χ(a)cos2n+1(2πaq)|=|a=1q1χ(a)cos2n(2πaq)|=0. 16

Combining (13), (15), and (16) we may immediately deduce Theorem 1.

Using a very similar method to proving Theorem 1 we can also deduce the estimates in Theorem 2. So it is not repeated here.

Now we prove our corollary. If p is a prime large enough, then, for any fixed integer n1, from [11] we have the identity

a=0p1cos2n(2πap)=p4n(2nn). 17

From the orthogonality of characters modp and (17) we have

χmodp|a=1q1χ(a)cos2n(2πaq)|2=(p1)a=1p1cos4n(2πap)=p(p1)42n(4n2n)(p1). 18

On the other hand, from (13), (17), and Lemma 3 we also have

χmodp|a=1p1χ(a)cos2n(2πap)|2=|a=1p1cos2n(2πap)|2+χmodpχ(1)=1,χχ0|a=1p1χ(a)cos2n(2πap)|2=(p4n(2nn)1)2+4p42nχmodpχ(1)=1,χχ0|k=1n(2nnk)χ(k)|2=(p4n(2nn)1)2+4p42np12k=1n(2nnk)24p42n(k=1n(2nnk))2=(p4n(2nn)1)2+4p42np12k=1n(2nnk)2p42n(4n(2nn))2. 19

Combining (18) and (19) we have the identity

p(p1)42n(4n2n)(p1)=(p4n(2nn)1)2+4p42np12k=1n(2nnk)2p42n(4n(2nn))2. 20

From (20) we may immediately deduce

(4n2n)=(2nn)2+2k=1n(2nnk)2=2k=0n(2nk)2(2nn)2.

This completes the proofs of our all results.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the referees for very helpful and detailed comments, which have significantly improved the presentation of this paper.

Authors’ contributions

All authors have equally contributed to this work. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

This work is supported by the N.S.F. China (Grant No. 11771351).

Competing interests

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Footnotes

Publisher’s Note

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Contributor Information

Jianhong Zhao, Email: 312508050@qq.com.

Xiao Wang, Email: wangxiao_0606@stumail.nwu.edu.cn.

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