OFFSET
1,1
COMMENTS
Conjecture: (i) a(n) does not exceed n^2+n+5 for each n>0, and the Galois group of sum_{k=0}^n C_k*x^{n-k} over the rationals is isomorphic to the symmetric group S_n.
(ii) For any positive integer n, the polynomial sum_{k=0}^n binomial(2k,k)*x^{n-k} is irreducible modulo some prime if and only if n is not of the form 2k(k+1), where k is a positive integer.
(iii) For any positive integer n, the polynomial sum_{k=0}^n T_k*x^{n-k} is irreducible modulo some prime not exceeding n^2+n+5, where T_k referes to the central trinomial coefficient A002426(k) which is the coefficient of x^k in the expansion of (x^2+x+1)^k.
LINKS
Zhi-Wei Sun, Table of n, a(n) for n = 1..350
EXAMPLE
a(10) = 5 since sum_{k=0}^{10} C_k*x^{n-k} irreducible modulo 5 but reducible modulo any of 2 and 3.
Note also that a(11) = 137 coincides with 11^2+11+5.
MATHEMATICA
A[n_, x_]:=A[n, x]=Sum[Binomial[2k, k]/(k+1)*x^(n-k), {k, 0, n}]
Do[Do[If[IrreduciblePolynomialQ[A[n, x], Modulus->Prime[k]]==True, Print[n, " ", Prime[k]]; Goto[aa]], {k, 1, PrimePi[n^2+n+5]}];
Print[n, " ", counterexample]; Label[aa]; Continue, {n, 1, 100}]
CROSSREFS
KEYWORD
nonn
AUTHOR
Zhi-Wei Sun, Apr 06 2013
STATUS
approved