Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Kanel-Belov, Malev and Rowen reduced the L’vov–Kaplansky conjecture for 3×3 matrices over an algebraically closed field to six possible images. They asked whether a multilinear polynomial can take only 3-scalar values, that is, matrices with eigenvalues (β, βε, βε²) where ε is a primitive cube root of unity. A positive answer would disprove the conjecture. We work over algebraically closed fields of characteristic zero and prove the following. (i) Such a polynomial is an identity of M₂(K), has coefficient sum zero, and vanishes on a maximal parabolic subalgebra of M₃(K). (ii) If one exists, then one exists that vanishes on every tuple with a common invariant proper subspace. (iii) All of its values on oriented 3-cycles of matrix units lie on a single eigenvalue line. Under the hypothesis of (ii), these values vanish, and so do its values on pairs of 2-cycles sharing a vertex. The proofs use the fact that generic matrices have no zero divisors, together with exact coefficient relations extracted from the identity tr p² = 0. Combining these results with exact modular rank certificates, lifted to characteristic zero by a lattice argument, we show that no multilinear 3-scalar polynomial of degree at most seven exists. The degree-seven certificate is a rank computation of size 14,196. The remaining step for all degrees is isolated as a single statement about matrix-unit configurations: every Eulerian configuration of a 3-scalar polynomial that vanishes on the reducible locus is zero. The LaTeX source and the scripts that produce the certificates are included.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
William Huanshan Chuang (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 8 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: