English

Mutually orthogonal binary frequency squares

Combinatorics 2021-03-02 v1

Abstract

A \emph{frequency square} is a matrix in which each row and column is a permutation of the same multiset of symbols. We consider only {\em binary} frequency squares of order nn with n/2n/2 zeroes and n/2n/2 ones in each row and column. Two such frequency squares are \emph{orthogonal} if, when superimposed, each of the 4 possible ordered pairs of entries occurs equally often. In this context we say that a kk-MOFS(n)(n) is a set of kk binary frequency squares of order nn in which each pair of squares is orthogonal. A kk-MOFS(n)(n) must satisfy k(n1)2k\le(n-1)^2, and any MOFS achieving this bound are said to be \emph{complete}. For any nn for which there exists a Hadamard matrix of order nn we show that there exists at least 2n2/4O(nlogn)2^{n^2/4-O(n\log n)} isomorphism classes of complete MOFS(n)(n). For 2<n2(mod4)2<n\equiv2\pmod4 we show that there exists a 1717-MOFS(n)(n) but no complete MOFS(n)(n). A kk-maxMOFS(n)(n) is a kk-MOFS(n)(n) that is not contained in any (k+1)(k+1)-MOFS(n)(n). By computer enumeration, we establish that there exists a kk-maxMOFS(6)(6) if and only if k{1,17}k\in\{1,17\} or 5k155\le k\le 15. We show that up to isomorphism there is a unique 11-maxMOFS(n)(n) if n2(mod4)n\equiv2\pmod4, whereas no 11-maxMOFS(n)(n) exists for n0(mod4)n\equiv0\pmod4. We also prove that there exists a 55-maxMOFS(n)(n) for each order n2(mod4)n\equiv 2\pmod{4} where n6n\geq 6.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1912.08972,
  title  = {Mutually orthogonal binary frequency squares},
  author = {Thomas Britz and Nicholas J. Cavenagh and Adam Mammoliti and Ian M. Wanless},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1912.08972},
  year   = {2021}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-23T12:50:30.905Z