A Note on the Recursive Sequence x n + 1 = p k x n + p k − 1 x n − 1 +...+ p 1 x n − k + 1

We present some comments on the behavior of solutions of the difference equation where p _i 0, i = 1,..., k, k N, and x _–k ,..., x _–1 R.     

Zolotarev's first problem — the best approximation by polynomials of degree ≤n − 2 tox n − nσx n−1 in [−1, 1]

Chebyshev determined $$\mathop {\min }\limits_{(a)} \mathop {\max }\limits_{ - 1 \le x \le 1} |x^n + a_1 x^{n - 1} + \cdots + a_n |$$ as 2^1?n , which is attained when the polynomial is 2^1?n T _n(x), whereT _n(x) = cos(n arc cosx). Zolotarev's First Problem is to determine $$\mathop {\min }\limits_{(a)} \mathop {\max }\limits_{ - 1 \le x \le 1} |x^n - n\sigma x^{n - 1} + a_2 x^{n - 2} + \cdots + a_n |$$ as a function ofn and the parameter σ and to find the extremal polynomials. He solved this in 1878. Another discussion was given by Achieser in 1928, and another by Erdös and Szegö in 1942. The case when 0≤|σ|≤ tan²(π/2n) is quite simple, but that for |σ|> tan²(π/2n) is quite different and very complicated. We give two new versions of the proof and discuss the change in character of the solution. Both make use of the Equal Ripple Theorem.     

On the Diophantine Equations (2 n − 1)(6 n − 1) = x 2 and (a n − 1)(a kn − 1) = x 2

In this paper we prove that the equation (2 ⁿ – 1)(6 ⁿ – 1) = x ² has no solutions in positive integers n and x. Furthermore, the equation (a ⁿ – 1) (a ^kn – 1) = x ² in positive integers a > 1, n, k > 1 (kn > 2) and x is also considered. We show that this equation has the only solutions (a,n,k,x) = (2,3,2,21), (3,1,5,22) and (7,1,4,120).     

More on the Difference Equation y n + 1 = ( p + y n −1 )/( qy n + y n −1 )

From previous studies of the equation in the title with positive parameters p and q and positive initial conditions we know that if q h 4 p + 1 then the equilibrium is a global attractor. We also know that if q > 4 p + 1 then every solution eventually enters and remains in the interval [ p / q , 1]. In this strip there exists a "unique" prime period two solution that is locally asymptotically stable. In this paper, we provide more insight as to the behavior of solutions of the equation in the title in the strip [ p / q , 1], where a one-dimensional stable manifold lives.     

A note on the diophantine equation (a n − 1)(b n − 1) = x 2

Let a, b be fixed positive integers such that a ≠ b, min(a, b) > 1, ν(a?1) and ν(b ? 1) have opposite parity, where ν(a ? 1) and ν(b ? 1) denote the highest powers of 2 dividing a ? 1 and b ? 1 respectively. In this paper, all positive integer solutions (x, n) of the equation (a ⁿ ? 1)(b ⁿ ? 1) = x ² are determined.     

Boundedness properties of the difference equation x n+1=(α+βx n +δx n−2)/(x n−1)

Consider the third-order difference equation x _n+1 = (α+βx _n +δx _n ? 2)/(x _n ? 1) with α ∈ [0,∞) and β,δ ∈ (0,∞). It is shown that this difference equation has unbounded solutions if and only if δ>β.     

Generalized Latin squares of order n with n 2 − 1 distinct elements

Let n ≥ 3 be a positive integer. We show that the number of equivalence classes of generalized Latin squares of order n with n ² ? 1 distinct elements is 4 if n = 3 and 5 if n ≥ 4. It is also shown that all these squares are embeddable in groups. As an application, we obtain a lower bound for the number of isomorphism classes of certain Eulerian graphs with n ² + 2n ? 1 vertices.     

A family of (n−1)! Diagonal polynomial orders ofN n

Letn>0 be an element of the setN of nonnegative integers, and lets(x)=x ₁+...+x _n , forx=(x ₁, ...,x _n ) N _n . Adiagonal polynomial order inN _n is a bijective polynomialp:N _n N (with real coefficients) such that, for allx,y N _n ,p(x)<p(y) whenevers(x)<s(y). Two diagonal polynomial orders areequivalent if a relabeling of variables makes them identical. For eachn, Skolem (1937) found a diagonal polynomial order. Later, Morales and Lew (1992) generalized this polynomial order, obtaining a family of 2 ^n–2 (n>1) inequivalent diagonal polynomial orders. Here we present, for eachn>0, a family of (n – 1)! diagonal polynomial orders, up to equivalence, which contains the Morales and Lew diagonal orders.     

On the recursive sequencex n +1=α-(x n /x n −1)

We study the global asymptotic stability, global attractivity, boundedness character, and periodic nature of all positive solutions and all negative solutions of the difference equation $$x_{n + 1} = \alpha - \frac{{x_n }}{{x_{n - 1} }}, n = 0,1,...,$$ where α∈R is a real number, and the initial conditionsx?1,x ₀ are arbitrary real numbers.     

Skew-symmetric association schemes with two classes and strongly regular graphs of type L 2n−1(4n−1)

A construction of a pair of strongly regular graphs ⁿ and ⁿ of type L _2n–1(4n–1) from a pair of skew-symmetric association schemes W, W of order 4n–1 is presented. Examples of graphs with the same parameters as ⁿ and ⁿ, i.e., of type L _2n–1(4n–1), were known only if 4n–1=p ³, where p is a prime. The first new graph appearing in the series has parameters (v, k, )=(225, 98, 45). A 4-vertex condition for relations of a skew-symmetric association scheme (very similar to one for the strongly regular graphs) is introduced and is proved to hold in any case. This has allowed us to check the 4-vertex condition for ⁿ and ⁿ, thus to prove that ⁿ and ⁿ are not rank three graphs if n>2.     

The actions ofS n+1 andS n on the cohomology ring of a coxeter arrangement of typeA n−1

Let be the complexified Coxeter arrangement of hyperplanes of typeA _n−1. In this paper we construct anS _n+1 extension of the naturalS _n action on the complex cohomology ring of the complement ofA _n−1. Recurrence formulas connecting characters with respect to theS _n and theS _n+1 action are given.     

On Globally Periodic Solutions of the Difference Equation x n + 1 = f ( x n )/ x n − 1

We study the second-order difference equation x n +1 = f ( x n ) x n m 1 where f ] C 1 ([0, X ),[0, X )) and x n ] (0, X ) for all n ] Z . For the cases p h 5, we find necessary and sufficient conditions on f for all solutions to be periodic with period p . We answer some questions and conjectures of Kulenovi ' and Ladas.     

Affine Hypersurfaces Admitting a Pointwise SO(n − 1) Symmetry

In this article we obtain a classification of strictly locally convex affine hypersurfaces in ${\mathbb{A}^{n+1}}$ for which the geometrical structure is pointwise invariant under the group SO(n ? 1) represented by rotations around a fixed axis in the tangent space. This generalises the results obtained by Lu and Scharlach (Results Math 48:275–300, 2005) for n =  3.     

从(n 1)/n×(n 1)=(n 1)/n (n 1)谈起

一问题的提出本刊2003年第5期刊载了《运用发现法解题》(以下简称《解题》)一文,文章在谈到“归纳发现法”时,提到这样一个例子: 1.观察下列各式     

Minimal Covers of Q +(2n + 1, q) by (n − 1)-Dimensional Subspaces

A t-cover of a quadric is a set C of t-dimensional subspaces contained in such that every point of is contained in at least one element of C.We consider (n – 1)-covers of the hyperbolic quadric Q ⁺(2n + 1, q). We show that such a cover must have at least q ^{n + 1} + 2q + 1 elements, give an example of this size for even q and describe what covers of this size should look like.