On the stable rank and reducibility in algebras of real symmetric functions

Let Aℝ([MATHEMATICAL DOUBLE-STRUCK CAPITAL D]) denote the set of functions belonging to the disc algebra having real Fourier coefficients. We show that Aℝ([MATHEMATICAL DOUBLE-STRUCK CAPITAL D]) has Bass and topological stable ranks equal to 2, which settles the conjecture made by Brett Wick in [18]. We also give a necessary and sufficient condition for reducibility in some real algebras of functions on symmetric domains with holes, which is a generalization of the main theorem in [18]. A sufficient topological condition on the symmetric open set [MATHEMATICAL DOUBLE-STRUCK CAPITAL D] is given for the corresponding real algebra Aℝ([MATHEMATICAL DOUBLE-STRUCK CAPITAL D]) to have Bass stable rank equal to 1.