Rational solutions of pairs of diagonal equations, one cubic and one quadratic

Abstract

We obtain an essentially optimal estimate for the moment of order 32/3 of the exponential sum having argument $\alpha x^3+\beta x^2$. Subject to modest local solubility hypotheses, we thereby establish that pairs of diagonal Diophantine equations, one cubic and one quadratic, possess non-trivial integral solutions whenever the number of variables exceeds 10.