Related papers: Critical sets in the elementary abelian 2- and 3- …
Given a finite group $G$ and positive integers $r$ and $s$, a problem of interest in algebra is determining the minimum cardinality of the product set $AB$, where $A$ and $B$ are subsets of $G$ such that $|A|=r$ and $|B|=s$. This problem…
A defining set of a Latin square is a partially filled-in Latin square which completes to no other Latin square of the same order. We introduce the concept of a $k$-strong defining set, in which if less than $k$ entries are deleted, the…
In this paper we prove that an abelian group contains $(2^{2m+1}(2^{m-1}+1), 2^m(2^m+1), 2^m)$-difference sets with $m\geqslant 3$ if and only if it contains an elementary abelian 2-group of order $2^{2m}$. Our proof shows that the method…
We introduce new avoidability problems for words by considering equivalence relations, k-abelian equivalences, which lie properly in between equality and commutative equality, i.e. abelian equality. For two k-abelian equivalent words the…
A critical value on an abelian group G of odd order d is a value $\lambda$ such that the functional equation f$\star$f (2 t) = $\lambda$f (t)^2 on G has a nonzero solution f. We construct many critical values by using abelian varieties with…
A Sidon set is a subset of an Abelian group with the property that each sum of two distinct elements is distinct. We construct a small maximal Sidon set of size $O((n \cdot 2^n)^{1/3})$ in the group $\mathbb{Z}_2^n$, generalizing a result…
Combining results on quadrics in projective geometries with an algebraic interplay between finite fields and Galois rings, we construct the first known family of partial difference sets with negative Latin square type parameters in…
If $D$ is a partially filled-in $(0,1)$-matrix with a unique completion to a $(0,1)$-matrix $M$ (with prescribed row and column sums), we say that $D$ is a {\em defining set} for $M$. A {\em critical set} is a minimal defining set (the…
It is shown that if $F$ denotes the number of filled cells in a superimposed pair of maximal orthogonal partial Latin squares of order $n$, then $F\ge n^2/3$. This resolves a conjecture raised in an earlier paper by the current authors. It…
Every Latin square has three attributes that can be even or odd, but any two of these attributes determines the third. Hence the parity of a Latin square has an information content of 2 bits. We extend the definition of parity from Latin…
We show that, for a positive integer $r$, every minimal 1-saturating set in ${\rm PG}(r-1,2)$ of size at least ${11/36} 2^r+3$ is either a complete cap or can be obtained from a complete cap $S$ by fixing some $s\in S$ and replacing every…
In this paper, building among others on earlier works by U. Krause and C. Zahlten (dealing with the case of cyclic groups), we obtain a new upper bound for the little cross number valid in the general case of arbitrary finite Abelian…
It is known that a minimal teaching set of any threshold function on the twodimensional rectangular grid consists of 3 or 4 points. We derive exact formulae for the numbers of functions corresponding to these values and further refine them…
A tri-colored sum-free set in an abelian group $H$ is a collection of ordered triples in $H^3$, $\{(a_i,b_i,c_i)\}_{i=1}^m$, such that the equation $a_i+b_j+c_k=0$ holds if and only if $i=j=k$. Using a variant of the lemma introduced by…
We study the structure of the codifferent and of additively indecomposable integers in families of totally real cubic fields. We prove that for cubic orders in these fields, the minimal trace of indecomposable integers multiplied by totally…
Given two elementary embeddings from the collection of sets of rank less than $\lambda$ to itself, one can combine them to obtain another such embedding in two ways: by composition, and by applying one to (initial segments of) the other.…
A Latin square of order $n$ is an $n\times n$ array which contains $n$ distinct symbols exactly once in each row and column. We define the adjacent distance between two adjacent cells (containing integers) to be their difference modulo $n$,…
In this short note we give a formula for the number of chains of subgroups of a finite elementary abelian $p$-group. This completes our previous work [5].
A packing of partial difference sets is a collection of disjoint partial difference sets in a finite group $G$. This configuration has received considerable attention in design theory, finite geometry, coding theory, and graph theory over…
We study the number of $s$-element subsets $J$ of a given abelian group $G$, such that $|J+J|\leq K|J|$. Proving a conjecture of Alon, Balogh, Morris and Samotij, and improving a result of Green and Morris, who proved the conjecture for $K$…