On maximal and minimal hypersurfaces of Fermat type

Abstract

Let $\mathbb{F}_q$ be a finite field with $q=p^n$ elements. In this paper, we study the number of $\mathbb{F}_q$-rational points on the affine hypersurface $\mathcal X$ given by $a_1 x_1^{d_1}+\dots+a_s x_s^{d_s}=b$, where $b\in\mathbb{F}_q^*$. A classic well-konwn result from Weil yields a bound for such number of points. This paper presents necessary and sufficient conditions for the maximality and minimality of $\mathcal X$ with respect to Weil's bound.