Relatively Prime Polynomials and Nonsingular Hankel Matrices over Finite Fields

Abstract: The probability for two monic polynomials of a positive degree n with coefficients in the finite field F_q to be relatively prime turns out to be identical with the probability for an n x n Hankel matrix over F_q to be nonsingular. Motivated by this, we give an explicit map from pairs of coprime polynomials to nonsingular Hankel matrices that explains this connection. A basic tool used here is the classical notion of Bezoutian of two polynomials. Moreover, we give simpler and direct proofs of the general formulae for the number of m-tuples of relatively prime polynomials over F_q of given degrees and for the number of n x n Hankel matrices over F_q of a given rank