For an integral domain , an integer-valued polynomial is a polynomial over its fraction field that maps into itself. Its coefficients need not lie in : maps into . These polynomials form a ring containing .
For , define and . The binomial coefficient formula shows for every nonnegative integer . Since these integers are dense in the p-adic integers, continuity of the polynomial implies , so it is an integer-valued polynomial there and . The Pascal's identity gives for the forward difference operator.
Articles by others on the same topic
An **integer-valued polynomial** is a polynomial function that takes integer values for all integer inputs.