On Waring’s problem for several algebraic forms

Abstract

We reconsider the classical problem of representing a finite number of forms of degree d in the polynomial ring over n + 1 variables as scalar combinations of powers of linear forms. We define a geometric construct called a ‘grove’, which, in a number of cases, allows us to determine the dimension of the space of forms which can be so represented for a fixed number of summands. We also present two new examples, where this dimension turns out to be less than what a naïve parameter count would predict.