Unique Representation in Polynomial Forms/General Result

Theorem
Let $f$ be a polynomial form in the indeterminates $\set {X_j: j \in J}$ such that $f: \mathbf X^k \mapsto a_k$.

For $r \in \R$, $\mathbf X^k \in M$, let $r \mathbf X^k$ denote the polynomial form that takes the value $r$ on $\mathbf X^k$ and zero on all other monomials.

Let $Z$ denote the set of all multiindices indexed by $J$.

Then the sum representation:


 * $\ds \hat f = \sum_{k \mathop \in Z} a_k \mathbf X^k$

has only finitely many non-zero terms.

Moreover it is everywhere equal to $f$, and is the unique such sum.

Proof
Suppose that the sum has infinitely many non-zero terms.

Then infinitely many $a_k$ are non-zero, which contradicts the definition of a polynomial.

Therefore the sum consists of finitely many non-zero terms.

Let $\mathbf X^m \in M$ be arbitrary.

Then:

So $\hat f = f$.

Finally suppose that:


 * $\ds \tilde f = \sum_{k \mathop \in Z} b_k \mathbf X^k$

is another such representation with $b_m \ne a_m$ for some $m \in Z$.

Then:


 * $\map {\tilde f} {\mathbf X^m} = b_m \ne a_m = \map f {\mathbf X^m}$

Therefore $\hat f$ as defined above is the only such representation.