TY - JOUR
T1 - On the number of invariant straight lines for polynomial differential systems
AU - Artés, Joan C.
AU - Grünbaum, Branko
AU - Llibre, Jaume
PY - 1998/1/1
Y1 - 1998/1/1
N2 - If P and Q are two real polynomials in the real variables cursive Greek chi and y such that the degree of P2 + Q2 is 2n, then we say that the polynomial differential system cursive Greek chi′ = P(cursive Greek chi, y), y′ = Q(cursive Greek chi, y) has degree n. Let α(n) be the maximum number of invariant straight lines possible in a polynomial differential systems of degree n > 1 having finitely many invariant straight lines. In the 1980's the following conjecture circulated among mathematicians working in polynomial differential systems. Conjecture: α(n) is 2n + 1 if n is even, and α(n) is 2n + 2 if n is odd. The conjecture was established for n = 2,3,4. In this paper we prove that, in general, the conjecture is not true for n > 4. Specifically, we prove that α(5) = 14. Moreover, we present counterexamples to the conjecture for n ∈ {6,7,... ,20}. We also show that 2n + 1 ≤ α(n) ≤ 3n - 1 if n is even, and that In + 2 ≤ α(n) ≤ 3n - 1 if n is odd.
AB - If P and Q are two real polynomials in the real variables cursive Greek chi and y such that the degree of P2 + Q2 is 2n, then we say that the polynomial differential system cursive Greek chi′ = P(cursive Greek chi, y), y′ = Q(cursive Greek chi, y) has degree n. Let α(n) be the maximum number of invariant straight lines possible in a polynomial differential systems of degree n > 1 having finitely many invariant straight lines. In the 1980's the following conjecture circulated among mathematicians working in polynomial differential systems. Conjecture: α(n) is 2n + 1 if n is even, and α(n) is 2n + 2 if n is odd. The conjecture was established for n = 2,3,4. In this paper we prove that, in general, the conjecture is not true for n > 4. Specifically, we prove that α(5) = 14. Moreover, we present counterexamples to the conjecture for n ∈ {6,7,... ,20}. We also show that 2n + 1 ≤ α(n) ≤ 3n - 1 if n is even, and that In + 2 ≤ α(n) ≤ 3n - 1 if n is odd.
U2 - 10.2140/pjm.1998.184.207
DO - 10.2140/pjm.1998.184.207
M3 - Article
VL - 184
SP - 207
EP - 230
JO - Pacific Journal of Mathematics
JF - Pacific Journal of Mathematics
SN - 0030-8730
IS - 2
ER -