English

Forbidden Configurations and Boundary Cases

Combinatorics 2025-07-28 v1

Abstract

Let FF be a k×k\times \ell (0,1)-matrix. Define a (0,1)-matrix AA to have a FF as a \emph{configuration} if there is a submatrix of AA which is a row and column permutation of FF. In the language of sets, a configuration is a \emph{trace}. Define a matrix to be {\it simple} if it is a (0,1)-matrix with no repeated columns. Let Avoid(m,F)\mathrm{Avoid}(m,F) be all simple mm-rowed matrices AA with no configuration FF. Define forb(m,F)\mathrm{forb}(m,F) as the maximum number of columns of any matrix in Avoid(m,F)\mathrm{Avoid}(m,F). Determining forb(m,F)\mathrm{forb}(m,F) requires determining bounds and constructions of matrices in Avoid(m,F)\mathrm{Avoid}(m,F). The paper considers some column maximal kk-rowed simple FF that have the bound Θ(mk2)\Theta(m^{k-2}) and yet adding a column increases bound to Ω(mk1)\Omega(m^{k-1}). By a construction, forb(m,F)\mathrm{forb(m,F)} is determined exactly.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2507.19336,
  title  = {Forbidden Configurations and Boundary Cases},
  author = {Richard P. Anstee and Oakley Edens and Arvin Sahami and Attila Sali},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.19336},
  year   = {2025}
}
R2 v1 2026-07-01T04:18:58.897Z