Rational Solutions of Underdetermined Polynomial Equations

In this paper we report on an application of computer algebra in which mathematical puzzles are generated of a type that had been widely used in mathematics contests by a large number of participants worldwide. The algorithmic aspect of our work provides a method to compute rational solutions of single polynomial equations that are typically large with 10^2 ... 10^5 terms and that are heavily underdetermined. It was possible to obtain this functionality by adding a number of new modules for a new type of splitting of equations to the existing package CRACK that is normally used to solve polynomial algebraic and differential systems of equations.