Related papers: Martin Gardner's minimum no-3-in-a-line problem

Mader proved that for $k\geq 2$ and $n\geq 2k$, every $n$-vertex graph with no $(k+1)$-connected subgraphs has at most $(1+\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}})k(n-k)$ edges. He also conjectured that for $n$ large with respect to $k$, every such graph has at…

In this paper we consider models for genus one curves of degree n for n = 2, 3 and 4, which arise in explicit n-descent on elliptic curves. We prove theorems on the existence of minimal models with the same invariants as the minimal model…

A \emph{queue layout} of a graph consists of a total order of the vertices, and a partition of the edges into \emph{queues}, such that no two edges in the same queue are nested. The minimum number of queues in a queue layout of a graph is…

Mantel's theorem states that every $n$-vertex graph with $\lfloor \frac{n^2}{4} \rfloor +t$ edges, where $t>0$, contains a triangle. The problem of determining the minimum number of triangles in such a graph is usually referred to as the…

Systems of polynomial equations over an algebraically-closed field K can be used to concisely model many combinatorial problems. In this way, a combinatorial problem is feasible (e.g., a graph is 3-colorable, hamiltonian, etc.) if and only…

A \textit{linear $3$-graph}, $H = (V, E)$, is a set, $V$, of vertices together with a set, $E$, of $3$-element subsets of $V$, called edges, so that any two distinct edges intersect in at most one vertex. The linear Tur\'an number, ${\rm…

A drawing of a graph is said to be a {\em straight-line drawing} if the vertices of $G$ are represented by distinct points in the plane and every edge is represented by a straight-line segment connecting the corresponding pair of vertices…

Visualizing a graph $G$ in the plane nicely, for example, without crossings, is unfortunately not always possible. To address this problem, Masa\v{r}\'ik and Hlin\v{e}n\'y [GD 2023] recently asked for each edge of $G$ to be drawn without…

We consider a special, geometric case of a balancing game introduced by Spencer in 1977. Consider any arrangement $\mathcal{L}$ of $n$ lines in the plane, and assume that each cell of the arrangement contains a box. Alice initially places…

As starting point, we formulate a corollary to the Quantitative Combinatorial Nullstellensatz. This corollary does not require the consideration of any coefficients of polynomials, only evaluations of polynomial functions. In certain…

The $n$-cube is the poset obtained by ordering all subsets of $\{1,\ldots,n\}$ by inclusion, and it can be partitioned into $\binom{n}{\lfloor n/2\rfloor}$ chains, which is the minimum possible number. Two such decompositions of the…

Motivated by a question of Defant and Propp (2020) regarding the connection between the degrees of noninvertibility of functions and those of their iterates, we address the combinatorial optimization problem of minimizing the sum of squares…

Let $Q_n$ be the poset that consists of all subsets of a fixed $n$-element set, ordered by set inclusion. The poset cube Ramsey number $R(Q_n,Q_n)$ is defined as the least $m$ such that any 2-coloring of the elements of $Q_m$ admits a…

The Boolean rank of a $0,1$-matrix $A$, denoted $R_\mathbb{B}(A)$, is the smallest number of monochromatic combinatorial rectangles needed to cover the $1$-entries of $A$. In 1988, de Caen, Gregory, and Pullman asked if the Boolean rank of…

We study hyperplane covering problems for finite grid-like structures in $\mathbb{R}^d$. We call a set $\mathcal{C}$ of points in $\mathbb{R}^2$ a conical grid if the line $y = a_i$ intersects $\mathcal{C}$ in exactly $i$ points, for some…

We generalize the recent results of Chaiken et al. to a rectangular $m\times n$ chessboard. An explicit formula for the number of nonattacking configurations of one-move riders on such a chessboard is calculated in two different ways, one…

What is the maximum number of points that can be selected from an $n \times n$ square lattice such that no $k+1$ of them are in a line? This has been asked more than $100$ years ago for $k=2$ and it remained wide open ever since. In this…

This paper explores special arrangements of clues in $m \times n$ Numbrix puzzles. The maximum number of clues which fails to define an $m \times n$ puzzle is demonstrated for all $m$ and $n$. In addition, a small upper bound on the minimum…

At some places (see the references) Martin Erickson describes a certain game: "Two players alternately write O's (first player) and X's (second player) in the unoccupied cells of an n x n grid. The first player (if any) to occupy four cells…

We prove that a minimal $t$-fold blocking set in a finite projective plane of order $n$ has cardinality at most \[\frac{1}{2} n\sqrt{4tn - (3t + 1)(t - 1)} + \frac{1}{2} (t - 1)n + t.\] This is the first general upper bound on the size of…