On the number of permutation polynomials over a finite field
In order to extend the results of [Formula: see text] in [P. Das, The number of permutation polynomials of a given degree over a finite field, Finite Fields Appl. 8(4) (2002) 478–490], where [Formula: see text] is a prime, to arbitrary finite fields [Formula: see text], we find a formula for the number of permutation polynomials of degree [Formula: see text] over a finite field [Formula: see text], which has [Formula: see text] elements, in terms of the permanent of a matrix. We write down an expression for the number of permutation polynomials of degree [Formula: see text] over a finite field [Formula: see text], using the permanent of a matrix whose entries are [Formula: see text]th roots of unity and using this we obtain a nontrivial bound for the number. Finally, we provide a formula for the number of permutation polynomials of degree [Formula: see text] less than [Formula: see text].