Multivariate Polynomial Manipulation

Question

I have a large homogenous multivariate polynomial in, say, 5 variables $a,b,c,d,e$. As an example take the polynomial $$a^4+2abcd+a^2 b^2+e^4+cde^2.$$ Now I would like to replace $k$-th power of any variable by $c_k$, so the above example would become $$c_4+2c_1^4+c_2^2+c_4+c_1^2c_2.$$ At the moment I am using the CoefficientRules command which gives in the above example

coef={{4, 0, 0, 0, 0} -> 1, {2, 2, 0, 0, 0} -> 1, {1, 1, 1, 1, 0} -> 2, 
      {0, 0, 1, 1, 2} -> 1, {0, 0, 0, 0, 4} -> 1}.

Then I sum over the rules in this list by

Sum[coef[[All, 2]][[k]]*
  Product[c[coef[[All, 1]][[k, j]]], {j, 1, Length[coef[[All, 1]][[k]]]}], 
    {k, 1, Length[coef]}]

which is very inefficient. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

f1 = Module[{s}, (# /. _^p_ :> Subscript[s, p]) /. 
                                  Thread[Variables[#] -> Subscript[s, 1]] /. s -> #2] &

poly = a^4 + 2 a b c d + a^2 b^2 + e^4 + c d e^2;
f1[poly, c]

$2 c_1^4+c_2 c_1^2+c_2^2+2 c_4$

Answer 2

I'm not sure whether this works for your real case, but your example can be processed with a simple replacement:

poly = a^4 + 2 a b c d + a^2 b^2 + e^4 + c d e^2;

With[{varsQ = MemberQ[Variables[poly], #] &},
 poly /. {Power[a_Symbol?varsQ, k_Integer] :> ctmp[k]} 
      /. a_Symbol?varsQ :> ctmp[1] 
      /. ctmp[i_Integer] :> Subscript[c, i]
 ]

gives $$2 c_1^4+c_2 c_1^2+c_2^2+2 c_4$$

Answer 3

poly = a^4 + 2 a b c d + a^2 b^2 + e^4 + c d e^2;

coeffs = CoefficientRules[poly]

{{4, 0, 0, 0, 0} -> 1, {2, 2, 0, 0, 0} -> 1, {1, 1, 1, 1, 0} -> 2, {0, 0, 1, 1, 2} -> 1, {0, 0, 0, 0, 4} -> 1}

coeffsList = {Apply[
     Times, #1 /. {n_ /; n > 0 :> Subscript[c, n], 0 -> 1}], #2} & @@@ coeffs

$$ \left( \begin{array}{cc} c_4 & 1 \\ c_2^2 & 1 \\ c_1^4 & 2 \\ c_1^2 c_2 & 1 \\ c_4 & 1 \\ \end{array} \right) $$

Total[Times @@@ coeffsList]

$$ 2 c_1^4+c_2 c_1^2+c_2^2+2 c_4 $$