Mathematics Problem Archive
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.15
v1.3 research notesLet $D$ be a doubly-connected domain with boundary curves $\alpha$ and $\beta$ and let $z_0, z_1$ be points of $D$. Let $A, B$ be given real numbers. ...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.16
v1.3 research notesA compact set $E$ in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq3$ is said to be thin at $P_0$ if $$ \int^1_0\frac{c(P_0,r)}{r^{n-1}}\,dr<\infty, $$ where $c(P_0,r)= \text...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.17
v1.3 research notesLet $D, D'$ be Lipschitz domains in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq 3$ with $D' \subset D$ and $\partial D'\cap\partial D$ lying compactly in the interior of a...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.18
v1.3 research notesIt is known that the set $E$ of least capacity $C$ and given volume is a ball. If $E$ displays some measure of asymmetry (for instance, if every ball ...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.19
v1.3 research notesLet $C_0$ be a tangential path in $\mathbb{D}$ which ends at $z=1$, and let $C_\theta$ be any rotation of $C_0$. Littlewood showed that there exists a...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.20
v1.3 research notesSuppose that you have a continuous real function $u(x)$ on $\mathbb{R}^n$, and you want to know whether a homeomorphism $\phi:\mathbb{R}^n\to\mathbb{R...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.21
v1.3 research notesLet $\alpha$ be a continuum in the closure of the unit disc $\mathbb{D}$, and let $\omega(z) = \omega(z; \mathbb{D}; \alpha)$ be the harmonic measure ...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.22
v1.3 research notesLet $D$ be a domain containing the origin whose `outer boundary' is $\mathbb{T}$ and whose `inner boundary' is a closed set $E$ in $\mathbb{D}$. If ev...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.23
v1.3 research notesDetermine whether or not there exists a function $g(r)$, defined for $r\geq0$, with $g(r)\to0$ as $r\to\infty$, such that the following holds: if $u$ ...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.24
v1.3 research notesFor which positive $p$ does there exist a function $u$, $u\not\equiv0$ harmonic on $\mathbb{R}^3$ and vanishing on the cone $x^2_1+x^2_2=px^2_3$? (H. ...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.25
v1.3 research notesIs there a harmonic polynomial $P(x_1, x_2, x_3)$, $P\not\equiv 0$ that is divisible by $x^4_1+x^4_2+x^4_3$? (H. S. Shapiro)...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.26
v1.3 research notesGiven $n, n\geq4$, find a continuous function $f$ on $(0,1)$ such that the following statement is true: if $u$ is a subharmonic function in the unit b...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.27
v1.3 research notesLet $D$ be an unbounded domain in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq2$. Is there a positive continuous function $\varepsilon(|x|)$ such that, if $u$ is harmonic i...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.28
v1.3 research notesDetermine all domains $\Omega$ in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq2$, satisfying the identity $\int_\Omega h(x)\,dx = 0$ for every function $h$ harmonic and int...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.29
v1.3 research notesIt is known that the Newtonian potential of a uniform mass distribution spread over an ellipsoid $K$ in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq2$ is a quadratic functi...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.30
v1.3 research notesLet $K(z, z')$ denote the kernel of the double layer potential occurring in Fredholm's theory where $z, z' \in \Gamma$, $\Gamma$ being a smooth Jordan...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.31
v1.3 research notesLet $D$ be an unbounded domain in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq 2$. Points in $\mathbb{R}^n$ will be denoted by $x = (x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n)$, and $|x|$ will de...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.32
v1.3 research notesLet $\Omega$ be an open ball in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq 2$. It is shown by Armitage that $V\in L^p(\Omega)$ for any positive superharmonic function $V$...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.33
v1.3 research notesLet $\Omega$ be a bounded open subset of $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq 2$, and suppose that $y\in\partial\Omega$. Denote the open ball of centre $y$ and radi...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.34
v1.3 research notesLet $\Omega$ be a bounded domain in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq 2$, with the property that there exists $\alpha$ in $(0,\pi]$ such that for every point $y$...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 3.35
v1.3 research notesFor $r_1<r_2$, we will call the set $\{x\in\mathbb{R}^n:n\geq3,r_1<\|x\|<r_2\}$ an annulus and its closure a closed annulus. Let $\Omega$ be a non-emp...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.1
v1.3 research notesLet $\{z_n\}, 1\leq n<\infty$ be an infinite sequence such that $|z_n|=1$. Define \[A_n=\max_{|z|=1}\prod^n_{i=1}|z-z_i|.\] Is it true that $\limsup_{...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.2
v1.3 research notesLet $p(z)=a_0+a_1z+\ldots+a_nz^n$ be a polynomial, all of whose zeros are on $|z|=1$. If \[A=\max_{0\leq k\leq n}|a_k|,\hspace{1cm}M=\max_{|z|=1}|p(z)...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.3
v1.3 research notesLet $P_N(z)$ be a polynomial with $N$ terms, satisfying $|P_N(z)|\leq1$ on $|z|=1$. How large can $P_n(z)$ be if $P_n(z)$ is a partial sum of $P_N(z)$...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.4
v1.3 research notesIs there a function $f(k)$ of the positive integer $k$, so that the square of every polynomial having at least $f(k)$ terms has a least $k$ terms? Erd...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.6
v1.3 research notesIf $H_\nu(z)$ is the $\nu$-th Hermite polynomial, so that \[H_\nu(z)e^{-z^2}=(-1)^\nu\big(\frac{d}{dz}\big)^\nu e^{-z^2},\] is it true that the equati...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.8
v1.3 research notesAssume that $E^{(n)}_f$ is connected. Is it true that $$ \max_{z\in E^{(n)}_f}|f'(z)|\leq\frac{1}{2}n^2\,? $$ Pommerenke proved this with $\frac{1}{2}...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.9
v1.3 research notesIs it true that to every positive $c$, there exists an $A(c)$ independent of $n$, such that $E_f^{(n)}$ can have at most $A(c)$ components of diameter...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.10
v1.3 research notesIs it true that the length of the curve $|f_n(z)|=1$ is maximal for $f_n(z)=z^n-1$? (P. Erd\"os)...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.11
v1.3 research notesIf $|z_i|\leq1$, estimate from below, the area of $E^{(n)}_f$. Erd\"os, Herzog and Piranian prove that, given positive $\varepsilon$, the area of $E^{...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.13
v1.3 research notesIt is known that there exists a polynomial $P(z)$ \[P(z)=\sum^n_{k=1}\varepsilon_k z^k, \hspace{1cm}\varepsilon_k=\mp1\] for which $$ \max_{|z|=1}|P(z...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.14
v1.3 research notesDoes there exist a polynomial of the type in Problem 4.13, for which $$ \min_{|z|=1}|P(z)|>C_2\sqrt{n} $$ for every $n$? More generally, does there ex...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.15
v1.3 research notesIf again $\varepsilon_k=\mp1$, is it true that, for large $n$, all but $o(2^n)$ polynomials $P(z)=\sum^n_{k=1}\varepsilon_k z^k$ have just $n/2+o(n)$ ...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.16
v1.3 research notesIs it true that for all but $o(2^n)$ polynomials $P(z)$ \[\min_{|z|=1}|P(z)|<1,\] or, if not, what is the corresponding correct result?...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.18
v1.3 research notesIf $f$ is any polynomial or rational function of degree $N$, find the least upper bound $\phi(N)$ of \[\frac{1}{r}\int^r_0dt\int^\pi_{-\pi}\frac{|f'(r...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.19
v1.3 research notesLittlewood conjectured that if $n_1, n_2, \ldots, n_k$ are distinct positive integers then $$ \int^{2\pi}_0\Big|\sum^k_{i=1}\cos (n_1 x)\Big|\,dx>c\lo...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.21
v1.3 research notesIf $a_k=\mp1, k=0,\ldots,n$ and \[b_k=a_na_{n-k}+a_{n-1}a_{n-k-1}+\ldots+a_ka_0,\] is it true that \[\sum^n_1|b_k|^2>An^2,\] where $A$ is an absolute ...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.22
v1.3 research notesUsing the notation of Problem 4.7, if $|z_i|\leq1$, Clunie and Netanyahu (personal communication) showed that a path exists joining the origin to $| z...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.23
v1.3 research notesSome of the Problems 4.7 to 4.12 extend naturally to the space of higher dimensions. Let $x_i$ be a set of $n$ points in $\mathbb{R}^m$ and let $E^{(m...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.24
v1.3 research notesLet \[P(z)=\sum^n_0a_kz^k\] be a self-inversive polynomial, i.e. if $\zeta$ is a zero of $P(\zeta)$ with multiplicity $m$, then $1/\zeta$ is also a ze...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.25
v1.3 research notesDetermine \[\inf\int^\pi_{-\pi}\big|1-e^{i\theta}\big|^{2\lambda}\big|P(e^{i\theta})\big|^2\,d\theta,\hspace{1cm}\lambda>0,\] where $P(z)$ ranges over...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.26
v1.3 research notesLet $P_n$ denote the class of polynomials $p(z)$, $p(0) = 1$, of degree at most $n$ and of positive real part in $\mathbb{D}$. Find \[\max_{p\in P_n}\...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.27
v1.3 research notesLet $p(x)$ be a real polynomial of degree $n$ in the real variable $x$ such that $p(x) = 0$ has $n$ distinct (real) rational roots. Does there necessa...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.29
v1.3 research notesYang claims to prove the following: let $P(z), Q(z)$ be monic polynomials such that $(i)$ $P(z)=0 \iff Q(z)=0$, and $(ii)$ $P'(z)=0 \iff Q'(z)=0$. The...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 4.31
v1.3 research notesErd\"os and Newman conjectured that if $$ f(z)=\sum^n_{k=0}a_kz^k,\hspace{1cm} |a_k|=1, \hspace{1cm}0\leq k\leq n, $$ then there is an absolute consta...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 5.1
v1.3 research notesIs it true that ([source label: 5.1]) implies \[I_1(r,f)=O(1-r)^{-1-\varepsilon}\] and \[|a_n|=O(n^{1+\varepsilon})\,?\]...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 5.2
v1.3 research notesIs it true that ([source label: 5.3]) implies that $$ I_1(r,f)=O(1-r)^{-1} $$ and $$ |a_n|=O(n)? $$...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 5.3
v1.3 research notesAn even stronger hypothesis than ([source label: 5.3]) is that $f(z)$ is weakly univalent (see Hayman ) i.e. for every $r$ with $0<r<\infty$, either $...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 5.4
v1.3 research notesIf the sequence $w_n$ satisfies $$ \arg w_n=O\big(|w_n|^{\frac{1}{2}}\big) $$ and $$ |w_{n+1}- w_n|=O(|w_n|^{\frac{1}{2}}) $$ then it is known (see Ha...
Research Problems in Function Theory — Problem 5.5
v1.3 research notesIf $f(z)=u+iv$ assumes only values in the right half-plane, then subordination shows that $$ a_n=O(1). $$ It is of interest to ask what other hypothes...