Abstract

This paper provides an asymptotic estimate for the expected number of real zeros of a random algebraic polynomial a0+a1x+a2x2++an1xn1. The coefficients aj(j=0,1,2,,n1) are assumed to be independent normal random variables with mean zero. For integers m and k=O(logn)2 the variances of the coefficients are assumed to have nonidentical value var(aj)=(k1jik), where n=km and i=0,1,2,,m1. Previous results are mainly for identically distributed coefficients or when var(aj)=(nj). We show that the latter is a special case of our general theorem.