Explicit formulae for two-bridge knot polynomials

Abstract

AbstractA two-bridge knot (or link) can be characterized by the so-called Schubert normal formKp, qwherepandqare positive coprime integers. Associated toKp, qthere are the Conway polynomial ▽kp, q(z)and the normalized Alexander polynomial Δkp, q(t). However, it has been open problem how ▽kp, q(z) and Δkp, q(t) are expressed in terms ofpandq. In this note, we will give explicit formulae for the Conway polynomials and the normalized Alexander polynomials in the case of two-bridge knots and links. This is done using elementary number theoretical functions inpandq.