On Mills's conjecture on matroids with many common bases

In this paper, we shall prove a conjecture of Mills: for two (k+1)-connected matroids whose symmetric difference between their collections of bases has size at most k, there is a matroid that is obtained from one of these matroids by relaxing n₁ circuit-hyperplanes and from the other by relaxing n₂ circuit-hyperplanes, where n₁ and n₂ are non-negative integers such that n₁+n₂k     

Embeddings of the base and bundle isomorphisms

Let π_i :E_i→M, i=1,2, be oriented, smooth vector bundles of rank k over a closed, oriented n-manifold with zero sections s_i :M→E_i. Suppose that U is an open neighborhood of s₁(M) in E₁ and F :U→E₂ a smooth embedding so that π₂Fs₁ :M→M is homotopic to a diffeomorphism f. We show that if k>[(n+1)/2]+1 then E₁ and the induced bundle f^*E₂ are isomorphic as oriented bundles provided that f have degree +1; the same conclusion holds if f has degree −1 except in the case where k is even and one of the bundles does not have a nowhere-zero cross-section. For n≡0(4) and [(n+1)/2]+1<kn we give examples of nonisomorphic oriented bundles E₁ and E₂ of rank k over a homotopy n-sphere with total spaces diffeomorphic with orientation preserved, but such that E₁ and f^*E₂ are not isomorphic oriented bundles. We obtain similar results and counterexamples in the more difficult limiting case where k=[(n+1)/2]+1 and M is a homotopy n-sphere.     

Maximum number of edges in a critically k-connected graph

A k-connected graph G is said to be critically k-connected if G−v is not k-connected for any vV(G). We show that if n,k are integers with k4 and nk+2, and G is a critically k-connected graph of order n, then |E(G)|n(n−1)/2−p(n−k)+p²/2, where p=(n/k)+1 if n/k is an odd integer and p=n/k otherwise. We also characterize extremal graphs.     

The smallest degree sum that yields potentially kCℓ-graphic sequences

Gould et al. (Combinatorics, Graph Theory and Algorithms, Vol. 1, 1999, pp. 387–400) considered a variation of the classical Turán-type extremal problems as follows: For a given graph H, determine the smallest even integer σ(H,n) such that every n-term graphic sequence π=(d₁,d₂,…,d_n) with term sum σ(π)=d₁+d₂++d_nσ(H,n) has a realization G containing H as a subgraph. In this paper, for given integers k and ℓ, ℓ7 and 3kℓ, we completely determine the smallest even integer σ(_kC_ℓ,n) such that each n-term graphic sequence π=(d₁,d₂,…,d_n) with term sum σ(π)=d₁+d₂++d_nσ(_kC_ℓ,n) has a realization G containing a cycle of length r for each r, krℓ.     

On neighborhood condition for graphs to have [a,b]-factors

Let G be a graph of order n, and let a and b be integers such that 1a<b. Let δ(G) be the minimum degree of G. Then we prove that if δ(G)(k−1)a, n(a+b)(k(a+b)−2)/b, and |N_G(x₁)N_G(x₂)N_G(x_k)|an/(a+b) for any independent subset {x₁,x₂,…,x_k} of V(G), where k2, then G has an [a,b]-factor. This result is best possible in some sense.     

The game of n-times nim

The following game is considered. The first player can take any number of stones, but not all the stones, from a single pile of stones. After that, each player can take at most n-times as many as the previous one. The player first unable to move loses and his opponent wins. Let f₁,f₂,… be an initial sequence of stones in increasing order, such that the second player has a winning strategy when play begins from a pile of size f_i. It is proved that there exist constants c=c(n) and k₀=k₀(n) such that f_k+1=f_k+f_k−c for all k>k₀, and lim_n→∞ c(n)/(nlogn)=1.     

First passage time for some stationary processes

For a 1-dependent stationary sequence {X_n} we first show that if u satisfies p₁=p₁(u)=P(X₁>u)0.025 and n>3 is such that 88np₁³1, then

P{max(X₁,…,X_n)u}=ν·μⁿ+O{p₁³(88n(1+124np₁³)+561)}, n>3,

where

ν=1−p₂+2p₃−3p₄+p₁²+6p₂²−6p₁p₂,μ=(1+p₁−p₂+p₃−p₄+2p₁²+3p₂²−5p₁p₂)⁻¹

with

p_k=p_k(u)=P{min(X₁,…,X_k)>u}, k1

and

|O(x)||x|.

From this result we deduce, for a stationary T-dependent process with a.s. continuous path {Y_s}, a similar, in terms of P{max_0skTY_s<u}, k=1,2 formula for P{max_0stY_su}, t>3T and apply this formula to the process Y_s=W(s+1)−W(s), s0, where {W(s)} is the Wiener process. We then obtain numerical estimations of the above probabilities.     

Subsets of an interval whose product is a power

We form squares from the product of integers in a short interval [n, n + t_n], where we include n in the product. If p is prime, p|n, and (₂^p) > n, we prove that p is the minimum t_n. If no such prime exists, we prove t_n √5n when n> 32. If n = p(2p − 1) and both p and 2p − 1 are primes, then t_n = 3p> 3 √n/2. For n(n + u) a square > n², we conjecture that a and b exist where n < a < b < n + u and nab is a square (except n = 8 and N = 392). Let g₂(n) be minimal such that a square can be formed as the product of distinct integers from [n, g₂(n)] so that no pair of consecutive integers is omitted. We prove that g₂(n) 3n − 3, and list or conjecture the values of g₂(n) for all n. We describe the generalization to kth powers and conjecture the values for large n.     

Cycle-saturated graphs of minimum size

A graph G is called C_k-saturated if G contains no cycles of length k but does contain such a cycle after the addition of any new edge. Bounds are obtained for the minimum number of edges in C_k-saturated graphs for all k ≠ 8 or 10 and n sufficiently large. In general, it is shown that the minimum is between n + c₁n/k and n + c₂n/k for some positive constants c₁ and C₂. Our results provide an asymptotic solution to a 15-year-old problem of Bollobás.     

The existence of Schröder designs with equal-sized holes

A holey Schröder design of type h₁^n₁h₂^n₂ … h_k^n_k (HSD(h₁^n₁h₂^n₂ … h_k^n_k)) is equivalent to a frame idempotent Schröder quasigroup (FISQ(h₁^n₁h₂^n₂ … h_k^n_k)) of order n with n_i missing subquasigroups (holes) of order h_i, (1 i k), which are disjoint and spanning, that is, Σ_{1 i k} n_ih_i = n. In this paper, it is shown that an HSD(hⁿ) exists if and only if h²n(n − 1) 0 (mod 4) with expceptions (h, n) ε {{(1,5),(1,9),(2,4)}} and the possible exception of (h, n) = (6,4).     

Some Ore-type Results for Matching and Perfect Matching in <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-uniform Hypergraphs

Let S₁ and S₂ be two (k-1)-subsets in a k-uniform hypergraph H. We call S₁ and S₂ strongly or middle or weakly independent if H does not contain an edge e ∈ E(H) such that S₁ ∩ e ≠∅ and S₂ ∩ e ≠∅ or e ⊆ S₁ ∪ S₂ or e ⊇ S₁ ∪ S₂, respectively. In this paper, we obtain the following results concerning these three independence. (1) For any n ≥ 2k²-k and k ≥ 3, there exists an n-vertex k-uniform hypergraph, which has degree sum of any two strongly independent (k-1)-sets equal to 2n-4(k-1), contains no perfect matching; (2) Let d ≥ 1 be an integer and H be a k-uniform hypergraph of order n ≥ kd+(k-2)k. If the degree sum of any two middle independent (k-1)-subsets is larger than 2(d-1), then H contains a d-matching; (3) For all k ≥ 3 and sufficiently large n divisible by k, we completely determine the minimum degree sum of two weakly independent (k-1)-subsets that ensures a perfect matching in a k-uniform hypergraph H of order n.     

Complete sets of solutions to partition–distribution equations

In the analysis of algebraic equations in discrete statistical systems, it is often necessary to find the complete sets of non-negative integer solutions k₁, k₂, k₃, … to the partition–distribution equations: k₁+k₂+k₃+…=m and k₁+2k₂+3k₃+…=n. In this paper, two efficient methods, indirect and recurrent, are derived to find the desired results for any given positive integers n and m. An example is provided to demonstrate the merits of these two methods.     

Optimal fault-tolerant routings with small routing tables for k-connected graphs

We study the problem of designing fault-tolerant routings with small routing tables for a k-connected network of n processors in the surviving route graph model. The surviving route graph R(G,ρ)/F for a graph G, a routing ρ and a set of faults F is a directed graph consisting of nonfaulty nodes of G with a directed edge from a node x to a node y iff there are no faults on the route from x to y. The diameter of the surviving route graph could be one of the fault-tolerance measures for the graph G and the routing ρ and it is denoted by D(R(G,ρ)/F). We want to reduce the total number of routes defined in the routing, and the maximum of the number of routes defined for a node (called route degree) as least as possible. In this paper, we show that we can construct a routing λ for every n-node k-connected graph such that n2k², in which the route degree is , the total number of routes is O(k²n) and D(R(G,λ)/F)3 for any fault set F (|F|<k). In particular, in the case that k=2 we can construct a routing λ′ for every biconnected graph in which the route degree is , the total number of routes is O(n) and D(R(G,λ′)/{f})3 for any fault f. We also show that we can construct a routing ρ₁ for every n-node biconnected graph, in which the total number of routes is O(n) and D(R(G,ρ₁)/{f})2 for any fault f, and a routing ρ₂ (using ρ₁) for every n-node biconnected graph, in which the route degree is , the total number of routes is and D(R(G,ρ₂)/{f})2 for any fault f.     

Matroids with few non-common bases

In [On Mills's conjecture on matroids with many common bases, Discrete Math. 240 (2001) 271-276], Lemos proved a conjecture of Mills [On matroids with many common bases, Discrete Math. 203 (1999) 195-205]: for two (k+1)-connected matroids whose symmetric difference between their collections of bases has size at most k, there is a matroid that is obtained from one of these matroids by relaxing n₁ circuit-hyperplanes and from the other by relaxing n₂ circuit-hyperplanes, where n₁ and n₂ are non-negative integers such that n₁+n₂≤k. In [Matroids with many common bases, Discrete Math. 270 (2003) 193-205], Lemos proved a similar result, where the hypothesis of the matroids being k-connected is replaced by the weaker hypothesis of being vertically k-connected. In this paper, we extend these results.     

On the Equation n_1n_2= n_3n_4 Restricted to Factor Closed Sets

We study the number of solutions N(B,F) of the diophantine equation n_1n_2 = n_3 n_4,where 1 ≤ n_1 ≤ B,1 ≤ n_3 ≤ B,n_2,n_4 ∈ F and F[1,B] is a factor closed set.We study more particularly the case when F={m = p_1~(ε1)···p_k~(εk),ε_j∈{0,1},1 ≤ j ≤ k},p_1,...,p_k being distinct prime numbers.     

3-D vertical ray shooting and 2-D point enclosure, range searching, and arc shooting amidst convex fat objects

We present a new data structure for a set of n convex simply-shaped fat objects in the plane, and use it to obtain efficient and rather simple solutions to several problems including (i) vertical ray shooting—preprocess a set of n non-intersecting convex simply-shaped flat objects in 3-space, whose xy-projections are fat, for efficient vertical ray shooting queries, (ii) point enclosure—preprocess a set C of n convex simply-shaped fat objects in the plane, so that the k objects containing a query point p can be reported efficiently, (iii) bounded-size range searching— preprocess a set C of n convex fat polygons, so that the k objects intersecting a “not-too-large” query polygon can be reported efficiently, and (iv) bounded-size segment shooting—preprocess a set C as in (iii), so that the first object (if exists) hit by a “not-too-long” oriented query segment can be found efficiently. For the first three problems we construct data structures of size O(λ_s(n)log³n), where s is the maximum number of intersections between the boundaries of the (xy-projections) of any pair of objects, and λ_s(n) is the maximum length of (n, s) Davenport-Schinzel sequences. The data structure for the fourth problem is of size O(λ_s(n)log²n). The query time in the first problem is O(log⁴n), the query time in the second and third problems is O(log³n + klog²n), and the query time in the fourth problem is O(log³n).

We also present a simple algorithm for computing a depth order for a set as in (i), that is based on the solution to the vertical ray shooting problem. (A depth order for , if exists, is a linear order of , such that, if K₁, K₂ and K₁ lies vertically above K₂, then K₁ precedes K₂.) Unlike the algorithm of Agarwal et al. (1995) that might output a false order when a depth order does not exist, the new algorithm is able to determine whether such an order exists, and it is often more efficient in practical situations than the former algorithm.     

Inverse geophysical problems for some noncompactly supported inhomogeneities

Let[²+k²n(x₁,x₃)]u(x₁,x₂,x₃)=−δ(x₁,y₁δ(x₂,y₂)δ(x₃,y₃) in R³₊. Assume that u(x₁,x₂,x₃=0,y₁,y₂=0,y₃=0,k) is measured at the plane P {x:x₃=0} for all positions of the source on the line y = (y₁,y₂ = 0,y₃ = 0), -∞ < y₁ < ∞, and receiver on the plane(x₁,x₂,x₃ − <x₁,x₂ < ∞, and for low-frequencies 0 < k <k₀, k₀ > 0 is an arbitrary small wave number. Assume thatn(x₁,x₃) is an arbitrary bounded piecewise-continuous function. The basic result is: the above low-frequency surface data determinen(x₁,x₃)uniquely.     

Partition of a directed bipartite graph into two directed cycles

Let D = (V₁, V₂; A) be a directed bipartite graph with |V₁| = |V₂| = n 2. Suppose that d_D(x) + d_D(y) 3n + 1 for all x ε V₁ and y ε V₂. Then D contains two vertex-disjoint directed cycles of lengths 2n₁ and 2n₂, respectively, for any positive integer partition n = n₁ + n₂. Moreover, the condition is sharp for even n and nearly sharp for odd n.     

On the extreme eigenvalues of hermitian (block) toeplitz matrices

We are concerned with the behavior of the minimum (maximum) eigenvalue λ₀⁽ⁿ⁾ (λ_n⁽ⁿ⁾) of an (n + 1) × (n + 1) Hermitian Toeplitz matrix T_n(ƒ) where ƒ is an integrable real-valued function. Kac, Murdoch, and Szegö, Widom, Parter, and R. H. Chan obtained that λ₀⁽ⁿ⁾ — min ƒ = O(1/n^2k) in the case where ƒ C^2k, at least locally, and ƒ — inf ƒ has a zero of order 2k. We obtain the same result under the second hypothesis alone. Moreover we develop a new tool in order to estimate the extreme eigenvalues of the mentioned matrices, proving that the rate of convergence of λ₀⁽ⁿ⁾ to inf ƒ depends only on the order ρ (not necessarily even or integer or finite) of the zero of ƒ — inf ƒ. With the help of this tool, we derive an absolute lower bound for the minimal eigenvalues of Toeplitz matrices generated by nonnegative L¹ functions and also an upper bound for the associated Euclidean condition numbers. Finally, these results are extended to the case of Hermitian block Toeplitz matrices with Toeplitz blocks generated by a bivariate integrable function ƒ.     

Aspects of semiorders within interval orders

Let s_k(n) be the largest integer such that every n-point interval order with no antichain of more than k points includes an s_k(n)-point semiorder. When k = 1, s₁(n) = n since all interval orders with no two-point antichains are chains. Given (c₁,...,c₅) = (1, 2, 3, 4), it is shown that s₂(n) = c_n for n 4, s₃(n) = c_n for n 5, and for all positive n, s₂ (n+4) =s₂(n)+3, s₃(n+5) = s₃(n)+3. Hence s₂ has a repeating pattern of length 4 [1, 2, 3, 3; 4, 5, 6, 6; 7, 8, 9, 9;...], and s₃ has a repeating pattern of length 5 [1, 2, 3, 3, 4; 4, 5, 6, 6, 7; 7, 8, 9, 9, 10;...].

Let s(n) be the largest integer such that every n-point interval order includes an s(n)-point semiorder. It was proved previously that for even n from 4 to 14, and that s(17) = 9. We prove here that s(15) = s(16) = 9, so that s begins 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4,..., 8, 8, 9, 9, 9. Since s(n)/n→0, s cannot have a repeating pattern.