Related papers: A linear threshold for uniqueness of solutions to …
We propose a new kind of sliding-block puzzle, called Gourds, where the objective is to rearrange 1 x 2 pieces on a hexagonal grid board of 2n + 1 cells with n pieces, using sliding, turning and pivoting moves. This puzzle has a single…
For a pair of coupled rectangular random matrices we consider the squared singular values of their product, which form a determinantal point process. We show that the limiting mean distribution of these squared singular values is described…
We introduce a notion of compatibility for multiplicity matrices. This gives rise to a necessary condition for the join of two (possibly disconnected) graphs $G$ and $H$ to be the pattern of an orthogonal symmetric matrix, or equivalently,…
Let $M_n$ denote a random symmetric $n \times n$ matrix whose upper diagonal entries are independent and identically distributed Bernoulli random variables (which take values $1$ and $-1$ with probability $1/2$ each). It is widely…
Let $A_n$ be a random symmetric matrix with Bernoulli $\{\pm 1\}$ entries. For any $\kappa>0$ and two real numbers $\lambda_1,\lambda_2$ with a separation $|\lambda_1-\lambda_2|\geq \kappa n^{1/2}$ and both lying in the bulk…
We study the distribution of consecutive sums of two squares in arithmetic progressions. If $\{E_n\}_{n \in \mathbb{N}}$ is the sequence of sums of two squares in increasing order, we show that for any modulus $q$ and any congruence classes…
We study occurrences of patterns on clusters of size n in random fields on Z^d. We prove that for a given pattern, there is a constant a>0 such that the probability that this pattern occurs at most an times on a cluster of size n is…
We obtain an exact formula for the probability that a uniformly random spanning tree of the $2$-by-$n$ square grid is ``balanced'' in the sense that it has an edge whose removal partitions its vertices into two sets of equal size. We…
In this paper we study the problem of sorting under non-uniform comparison costs, where costs are either 1 or $\infty$. If comparing a pair has an associated cost of $\infty$ then we say that such a pair cannot be compared (forbidden…
Let $M_n$ be an $n$ by $n$ random matrix where each entry is +1 or -1 independently with probability 1/2. Our main result implies that the probability that $M_n$ is singular is at most $(1/\sqrt{2} + o(1))^n$, improving on the previous best…
Several discrete geometry problems are equivalent to estimating the size of the largest homogeneous sets in graphs that happen to be the union of few comparability graphs. An important observation for such results is that if $G$ is an…
A famous (and hard) chess problem asks what is the maximum number of safe squares possible in placing $n$ queens on an $n\times n$ board. We examine related problems from placing $n$ rooks. We prove that as $n\to\infty$, the probability…
We consider self-loops and multiple edges in the configuration model as the size of the graph tends to infinity. The interest in these random variables is due to the fact that the configuration model, conditioned on being simple, is a…
We prove that for any $k\geq3$ for clause/variable ratios up to the Gibbs uniqueness threshold of the corresponding Galton-Watson tree, the number of satisfying assignments of random $k$-SAT formulas is given by the `replica symmetric…
Let $A$ be an $n\times n$ random matrix with independent, identically distributed mean 0, variance 1 subgaussian entries. We prove that $$ \mathbb{P}(A\text{ has distinct singular values})\geq 1-e^{-cn} $$ for some $c>0$, confirming a…
Let $A$ be an $n \times n$ random matrix with iid entries over a finite field of order $q$. Suppose that the entries do not take values in any additive coset of the field with probability greater than $1 - \alpha$ for some fixed $0 < \alpha…
Skill mastery is a priority for success in all fields. We present a parallel between the development of skill mastery and the process of solving jigsaw puzzles. We show that iterative random sampling solves jigsaw puzzles in two phases: a…
Can you decide if there is a coincidence in the numbers counting two different combinatorial objects? For example, can you decide if two regions in $\mathbb{R}^3$ have the same number of domino tilings? There are two versions of the…
Random binary search trees are obtained by recursively inserting the elements $\sigma(1),\sigma(2),\ldots,\sigma(n)$ of a uniformly random permutation $\sigma$ of $[n]=\{1,\dots,n\}$ into a binary search tree data structure. Devroye (1986)…
Let $S$ be a set of four points chosen independently, uniformly at random from a square. Join every pair of points of $S$ with a straight line segment. Color these edges red if they have positive slope and blue, otherwise. We show that the…