A combinatorial problem involving graphs and matrices

In this paper we discuss a combinatorial problem involving graphs and matrices. Our problem is a matrix analogue of the classical problem of finding a system of distinct representatives (transversal) of a family of sets and relates closely to an extremal problem involving 1-factors and a long standing conjecture in the dimension theory of partially ordered sets. For an integer n ?1, let n denote the n element set {1,2,3,…, n}. Then let A be a k×t matrix. We say that A satisfies property P(n, k) when the following condition is satisfied: For every k-taple (x₁,x₂,…,x_k?n^k there exist k distinct integers j₁,j₂,…,j_k so that x_i= a_ii for i= 1,2,…,k. The minimum value of t for which there exists a k × t matrix A satisfying property P(n,k) is denoted by f(n,k). For each k?1 and n sufficiently large, we give an explicit formula for f(n, k): for each n?1 and k sufficiently large, we use probabilistic methods to provide inequalities for f(n,k).     

On the average number of records for sequences of not identically distributed random variables

The scheme of n series of independent random variables X ₁₁, X ₂₁, …, X _k1, X ₁₂, X ₂₂, …, X _k2, …, X _1n , X _2n , …, X _kn is considered. Each of these successive series X _1m , X _2m , …, X _km , m = 1, 2, …, n consists of k variables with continuous distribution functions F ₁, F ₂, …, F _k , which are the same for all series. Let N(nk) be the number of upper records of the given nk random variables, and EN(nk) be the corresponding expected value. For EN(nk) exact upper and lower estimates are obtained. Examples are given of the sets of distribution functions for which these estimates are attained.     

A determinantal version of the frobenius-könig theorem

Let F be a field and let {d ₁,…,d_k } be a set of independent indeterminates over F. Let A(d ₁,…,d_k ) be an n × n matrix each of whose entries is an element of F or a sum of an element of F and one of the indeterminates in {d ₁,…,d_k }. We assume that no d ¹ appears twice in A(d ₁,…,d_k ). We show that if det A(d ₁,…,d_k ) = 0 then A(d ₁,…,d_k ) must contain an r × s submatrix B, with entries in F, so that r + s = n + p and rank B ? p ? 1: for some positive integer p.     

Monotonicity of permanents of direct sums of doubly stochastic matrices

Let Ωn be the set of all n × n doubly stochastic matrices, let J_n be the n × n matrix all of whose entries are 1/n and let σ _k (A) denote the sum of the permanent of all k × k submatrices of A. It has been conjectured that if A ε Ω _n and A ≠ J_J then g_A,k (θ) ? σ _k ((1 θ)J_n 1 θA) is strictly increasing on [0,1] for k = 2,3,…,n. We show that if A = A ₁ ⊕ ⊕A_t (t ≥ 2) is an n × n matrix where A_i for i = 1,2, …,t, and if for each i g_Ai,ki (θ) is non-decreasing on [0.1] for k_t = 2,3,…,n_i , then g_A,k (θ) is strictly increasing on [0,1] for k = 2,3,…,n.     

On k-ordered Hamiltonian graphs

A Hamiltonian graph G of order n is k-ordered, 2 ≤ k ≤ n, if for every sequence v₁, v₂, …, v_k of k distinct vertices of G, there exists a Hamiltonian cycle that encounters v₁, v₂, …, v_k in this order. Define f(k, n) as the smallest integer m for which any graph on n vertices with minimum degree at least m is a k-ordered Hamiltonian graph. In this article, answering a question of Ng and Schultz, we determine f(k, n) if n is sufficiently large in terms of k. Let g(k, n) = − 1. More precisely, we show that f(k, n) = g(k, n) if n ≥ 11k − 3. Furthermore, we show that f(k, n) ≥ g(k, n) for any n ≥ 2k. Finally we show that f(k, n) > g(k, n) if 2k ≤ n ≤ 3k − 6. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 32: 17–25, 1999     

On convergence of moment generating functions

Mukherjea et al. [Mukherjea, A., Rao, M., Suen, S., 2006. A note on moment generating functions. Statist. Probab. Lett. 76, 1185-1189] proved that if a sequence of moment generating functions M_n(t) converges pointwise to a moment generating function M(t) for all t in some open interval of the real line, not necessarily containing the origin, then the distribution functions F_n (corresponding to M_n) converge weakly to the distribution function F (corresponding to M). In this note, we improve this result and obtain conditions of the convergence which seem to be sharp: F_n converge weakly to F if M_n(t_k) converge to M(t_k), k=1,2,…, for some sequence {t₁,t₂,…} having the minimal and the maximal points. A similar result holds for characteristic functions.     

Non-uniform Turán-type problems

Given positive integers n,k,t, with 2?k?n, and t<2^k, let m(n,k,t) be the minimum size of a family F of (nonempty distinct) subsets of [n] such that every k-subset of [n] contains at least t members of F, and every (k-1)-subset of [n] contains at most t-1 members of F. For fixed k and t, we determine the order of magnitude of m(n,k,t). We also consider related Turán numbers T_?r(n,k,t) and T_r(n,k,t), where T_?r(n,k,t) (T_r(n,k,t)) denotes the minimum size of a family such that every k-subset of [n] contains at least t members of F. We prove that T_?r(n,k,t)=(1+o(1))T_r(n,k,t) for fixed r,k,t with and n→∞.     

Hypersurfaces containing flat subspaces

Lek k be an infinite field and suppose m.i. and n are positive integers such that t m We study the subset of k[x ₁,x ₂, … x_m ] which consists of 0 and the homogeneous members t of f of k[x ₁,x ₂, … x_m ] of fixed degree n such that there exists homogeneous F ₁, F ₂, … F_t in k[x ₁,x ₂, … x_m ] of degree one and homogenous g ₁ g ₂, …g_t , in k[x ₁,x ₂, … x_m ] such that f(x) = F ₁(x)g ₁(x) + F ₂(x)g ₂(x) + … + F _t (x)g _t (x) for each x in k ^m. In case k is algebrarcally closed we are able to prove that this set is an algebraic variety. Consequently. if k is also of characteristic 0 then we are able to prove that certain collections of symmetric k-valued multilinear functions are algebraic varieties.     

The proof of a conjecture concerning the intersection of k-generalized Fibonacci sequences

For k ≥ 2, the k-generalized Fibonacci sequence (F _n ^(k) ) _n is defined by the initial values 0, 0, …, 0,1 (k terms) and such that each term afterwards is the sum of the k preceding terms. In 2005, Noe and Post conjectured that the only solutions of Diophantine equation F _m ^(k) = F _n ^(?) , with ? > k > 1, n > ? + 1, m > k + 1 are $(m,n,\ell ,k) = (7,6,3,2)and(12,11,7,3)$ . In this paper, we confirm this conjecture.     

Collinear subsets of lattice point sequences—An analog of Szemerédi's theorem

Szemerédi's theorem states that given any positive number B and natural number k, there is a number n(k, B) such that if n ? n(k, B) and 0 < a₁ < … < a_n is a sequence of integers with a_n ? Bn, then some k of the a_i form an arithmetic progression. We prove that given any B and k, there is a number m(k, B) such that if m ? m(k, B) and u₀, u₁, …, u_m is a sequence of plane lattice points with ∑_i=1^m…u_i ? u_i?1… ? Bm, then some k of the u_i are collinear. Our result, while similar to Szemerédi's theorem, does not appear to imply it, nor does Szemerédi's theorem appear to imply our result.     

Approximate solutions of functional differential equations

The author discusses the best approximate solution of the functional differential equation x′(t) = F(t, x(t), x(h(t))), 0 < t < l satisfying the initial condition x(0) = x₀, where x(t) is an n-dimensional real vector. He shows that, under certain conditions, the above initial value problem has a unique solution y(t) and a unique best approximate solution $\text{p}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{(t)}$ of degree k (cf. [1]) for a given positive integer k. Furthermore, $\text{sup}{}_{\mathrm{0?t?l}}\text{¦}\text{p}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{(t) ? y(t)¦ → 0}\text{as}\text{k → ∞}$, where ¦ · ¦ is any norm in Rⁿ.     

Oscillatory and asymptotic behavior of solutions of differential equations with deviating arguments

The oscillatory and asymptotic behavior of solutions of a class of nth order nonlinear differential equations, with deviating arguments, of the form (E, δ) L_nx(t) + δq(t) f(x[g₁(t)],…, x[g_m(t)]) = 0, where δ = ± 1 and L₀x(t) = x(t), L_kx(t) = a_k(t)(L_{k ? 1}x(t))^., $\text{k = 1, 2,…, n (}{}^{\mathrm{.}}\text{=}\text{d}\text{dt}\text{)}$, is examined. A classification of solutions of (E, δ) with respect to their behavior as t → ∞ and their oscillatory character is obtained. The comparisons of (E, 1) and (E, ?1) with first and second order equations of the form y^.(t) + c₁(t) f(y[g₁(t)],…, y[g_m(t)]) = 0 and (a_{n ? 1}(t)z^.(t))^. ? c₂(t) f(z[g₁(t)],…, z[g_m(t)]) = 0, respectively, are presented. The obtained results unify, extend and improve some of the results by Graef, Grammatikopoulos and Spikes, Philos and Staikos.     

On Asymptotic Behavior for Singularities of the Powers of Mean Curvature Flow

Let M^n be a smooth, compact manifold without boundary, and F0 ： M^n→ R^n＋1 a smooth immersion which is convex. The one-parameter families F（·, t） ： M^n× [0, T） → R^n＋1 of hypersurfaces Mt^n= F（·,t）（M^n） satisfy an initial value problem dF/dt （·,t） = -H^k（· ,t）v（· ,t）, F（· ,0） = F0（· ）, where H is the mean curvature and u（·,t） is the outer unit normal at F（·, t）, such that -Hu = H is the mean curvature vector, and k 〉 0 is a constant. This problem is called H^k-fiow. Such flow will develop singularities after finite time. According to the blow-up rate of the square norm of the second fundamental forms, the authors analyze the structure of the rescaled limit by classifying the singularities as two types, i.e., Type Ⅰ and Type Ⅱ. It is proved that for Type Ⅰ singularity, the limiting hypersurface satisfies an elliptic equation; for Type Ⅱ singularity, the limiting hypersurface must be a translating soliton.     

A class of facet producing graphs for vertex packing polyhedra

We examine a family of graphs called webs. For integers n ? 2 and $\text{k, 1 ? k ?}\text{1}\text{2}\text{n}$, the web W(n, k) has vertices V_n = {1, …, n} and edges {(i, j): j = i+k, …, i+n ? k, for i?V_n (sums mod n)}. A characterization is given for the vertex packing polyhedron of W(n, k) to contain a facet, none of whose projections is a facet for the lower dimensional vertex packing polyhedra of proper induced subgraphs of W(n, k). Simple necessary and sufficient conditions are given for W(n, k) to contain W(n′, k′) as an induced subgraph; these conditions are used to show that webs satisfy the Strong Perfect Graph Conjecture. Complements of webs are also studied and it is shown that if both a graph and its complement are webs, then the graph is either an odd hole or its complement.     

On set systems with a threshold property

For n,k and t such that 1<t<k<n, a set F of subsets of [n] has the (k,t)-threshold property if every k-subset of [n] contains at least t sets from F and every (k-1)-subset of [n] contains less than t sets from F. The minimal number of sets in a set system with this property is denoted by m(n,k,t). In this paper we determine m(n,4,3)exactly for n sufficiently large, and we show that m(n,k,2) is asymptotically equal to the generalized Turán number T_k-1(n,k,2).     

Nonoscillation and disconjugacy of systems of linear differential equations

The differential equations under consideration are of the form $\text{dx}\text{dt}\text{= A(t)x}$, (1) where A(t) is a piecewise continuous real n × n matrix on a real interval α, and the vector x = (x₁,…,x_n) is continuous on α. The equation is said to be nonoscillatory on α if every nontrivial real solution vector x has at least one component x_k which does not vanish on α.The principal concern of this paper is the derivation of conditions, expressed in terms of various norms of A, which guarantee the nonoscillation of (1) in a given interval.     

Two linear equations in formal power series

The equations [gradφ(x)]^TF(x)=h(x) and F(ψ(x))–ψ(x) are considered. They arise in the stability theory of differential and difference equations. The scalar function h(x) is a given, and the function ψ(x) an unknown, formal power series in the n indeterminates x=(x₁,…,x_n)^T, and h(0)=ψ=0; the elements of the n×n matrix F(x) are also formal power series in x, F(0)=0. It is shown that the solvability of both equations depends on the eigenvalues of the Jacobian F_x(0).     

Constructions of （q,K, λ, t,Q） almost difference families

The concept of a （q, k, λ, t） almost dltterence tamlly （ADF） nas oeen introduced and studied by C. Ding and J. Yin as a useful generalization of the concept of an almost difference set. In this paper, we consider, more generally, （q, K,λ, t, Q）-ADFs, where K = {k1, k2,.…, kr} is a set of positive integers and Q = （q1,q2,... ,qr） is a given block-size distribution sequence. A necessary condition for the existence of a （q, K, λ, t, Q）-ADF is given, and several infinite classes of （q, K, A, t, Q）-ADFs are constructed.     

Über Folgen,die BezÜglich Eines Mittels Rekurrent Sind

Let X be a convex subset of a finite-dimensional real vector space. A function M: X ^k → X is called a strict mean value, if M(x₁,…, x_k) lies in the convex hull of x₁,…, x_k), but does not coincide with one of its vertices. A sequence (x_n)_{n∈ ?} in X is called M-recursive if x_n+k = M(x_n, x_n+1,…, x_n+k?1) for all n. We prove that for a continuous strict mean value M every M-recursive sequence is convergent. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for a convergent sequence in X to be M-recursive for some continuous strict mean value M, and we characterize its limit by a functional equation. 39 B 72, 39 B 52, 40 A 05.     

Monotonicity of permanents of certain doubly stochastic circulant matrices

Let p_k(A), k=2,…,n, denote the sum of the permanents of all k×k submatrices of the n×n matrix A. A conjecture of Ðokovi?, which is stronger than the famed van der Waerden permanent conjecture, asserts that the functions p_k((1?θ)J_n+;θA), k=2,…, n, are strictly increasing in the interval 0?θ?1 for every doubly stochastic matrix A. Here J_n is the n×n matrix all whose entries are equal $\text{1}\text{n}$. In the present paper it is proved that the conjecture holds true for the circulant matrices A=αI_n+ βP_n, α, β?0, α+;β=1, and $\text{A=}\text{(nJ}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{?I}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{?P}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{)}\text{(n?2)}$, where I_n and P_n are respectively the n×n identify matrix and the n×n permutation matrix with 1's in positions (1,2), (2,3),…, (n?1, n), (n, 1).