Matrices that preserve vectors of fixed sign variation

For each k≥ 0, those nonsingular matrices that transform the set of totally nonzero vectors with k sign variations into (respectively, onto) itself are studied. Necessary and sufficient conditions are provided. The cases k=0,1,2,n-3,n-2,n-1 are completely characterized.     

Large spaces of symmetric matrices of bounded rank are decomposable

Let k and n be positive integers such that k≤n. Let S_n(F) denote the space of all n×n symmetric matrices over the field F with char F≠2. A subspace L of S_n(F) is said to be a k-subspace if rank A≤k for every AεL.

Now suppose that k is even, and write k=2r. We say a k∥-subspace of S_n(F) is decomposable if there exists in Fⁿ a subspace W of dimension n-r such that x^tAx=0 for every xεWAεL.

We show here, under some mild assumptions on kn and F, that every k∥-subspace of S_n(F) of sufficiently large dimension must be decomposable. This is an analogue of a result obtained by Atkinson and Lloyd for corresponding subspaces of F^m,n.     

Safety neighbournoods for the invariants of the matrix similarity

We give safety neighbourhoods for the necessary conditions in the change of the Jordan canonical form of a matrix under small perturbations. We also obtain the minimum distance from an n × n complex matrix which has less than k nonconstant invariant factors (2≤ k≤ n) to the set of matrices which have more or equal to k. When k= 2, we get in particular the distance from a nonderogatory matrix to the set of derogatory matrices.     

Linear operators preserving the higher numerical radius of matrices

A linear operator T on a matrix space is said to be unital if T(I) = I. In this note we characterize the unital lineart operators on matrix spaces that preserve the k-numerical radius. Using the results obtained we easily determine the structure of all linear operators on the space of n × n complex matrices that preserve the k-numerical range. This completes the work of Pierce and Watking, who obtained the results for the cases when n ≠ n2k.     

Embedding rectangular matrices in hadamard matrices

It is shown that any m×n±1 matrix may be embedded in a Hadamard matrix of order kl, where k and l are the least orders greater than or equal to m and nrespectively in which Hadamard matrices exist.     

Finding all essential terms of a characteristic maxpolynomial

Let us denote ab=max(a,b) and ab=a+b for and extend this pair of operations to matrices and vectors in the same way as in linear algebra. We present an O(n²(m+n log n)) algorithm for finding all essential terms of the max-algebraic characteristic polynomial of an n×n matrix over with m finite elements. In the cases when all terms are essential, this algorithm also solves the following problem: Given an n×n matrix A and k{1,…,n}, find a k×k principal submatrix of A whose assignment problem value is maximum.     

A reversal index for tournament matrices

Given a tournament matrix T, its reversal indexi_R(T), is the minimum k such that the reversal of the orientation of k arcs in the directed graph associated with T results in a reducible matrix. We give a formula for i_R(T) in terms of the score vector of T which generalizes a simple criterion for a tournament matrix to be irreducible. We show that i_R(T)≤[(n-1)/2] for any tournament matrix T of order n, with equality holding if and only if T is regular or almost regular, according as n is odd or even. We construct, for each k between 1 and [(n-1)/2], a tournament matrix of order n whose reversal index is k. Finally, we suggest a few problems.     

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.     

Permanents of doubly stochastic matrices with fixed zero pattern

The doubly stochastic matrices with a given zero pattern which are closest in Euclidean norm to J_nn, the matrix with each entry equal to 1/n, are identified. If the permanent is restricted to matrices having a given zero pattern confined to one row or to one column, the permanent achieves a local minimum at those matrices with that zero pattern which are closest to J_nn. This need no longer be true if the zeros lie in more than one row or column.     

Minimal least eigenvalue of connected graphs of order n and size m = n + k (5≤k≤8)

The least eigenvalue of a connected graph is the least eigenvalue of its adjacency matrix. We characterize the connected graphs of order n and size n + k (5≤k≤8 and n>k + 5) with the minimal least eigenvalue.     

An Extension of an Inequality Involving Symmetric Products with an Application to Permanents

Let A be an nk × nk positive semi-definite symmetric matrix partitioned into blocks A^ij each of which is an n × n matrix. In [2] Mine states a conjecture of Marcus that per(A) ≥ per(G) where G is the k × k matrix [per(A^ij)]. In this paper we prove a weaker inequality namely that per(A) ≥ (k!)^-1per(G).     

On the sum powers of matrices

A theorem of Lagrange says that every natural number is the sum of 4 squares. M. Newman proved that every integral n by n matrix is the sum of 8 (-1)ⁿ squares when n is at least 2. He asked to generalize this to the rings of integers of algebraic number fields. We show that an n by n matrix over a a commutative R with 1 is the sum of squares if and only if its trace reduced modulo 2Ris a square in the ring R/2R. It this is the case (and n is at least 2), then the matrix is the sum of 6 squares (5 squares would do when n is even). Moreover, we obtain a similar result for an arbitrary ring R with 1. Answering another question of M. Newman, we show that every integral n by n matrix is the sum of ten k-th powers for all sufficiently large n. (depending on k).     

Discrepancy in different numbers of colors

In this article, we investigate the interrelation between the discrepancies of a given hypergraph in different numbers of colors. Being an extreme example we determine the multi-color discrepancies of the k-balanced hypergraph on partition classes of (equal) size n. Let . Set k₀ k mod c and b_nkc (n−n/c/k)k/c. For the discrepancy in c colors we show

if k₀≠0, and , if c divides k. This shows that, in general, there is little correlation between the discrepancies of in different numbers of colors. If c divides k though, holds for any hypergraph .     

Primitive graphs with given exponents and minimum number of edges

A graph G = (V, E) on n vertices is primitive if there is a positive integer k such that for each pair of vertices u, v of G, there is a walk of length k from u to v. The minimum value of such an integer, k, is the exponent, exp(G), of G. In this paper, we find the minimum number, h(n, k), of edges of a simple graph G on n vertices with exponent k, and we characterize all graphs which have h(n, k) edges when k is 3 or even.     

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.     

Embedding matrices in Hadamard matrices

It is shown that if A is any n×n matrix of zeros and ones, and if k is the smallest number not less than n which is the order of an Hadamard matrix, then A is a submatrix of an Hadamard matrix of order k².     

Similarity to symmetric matrices over fields which are not formally real

We show that a matrix is similar to a symmetric matrix over a field of characteristic 2 if and only if the minimum polynomial of the matrix is not the product of distinct irreducible polynomials whose splitting fields are inseparable extensions. When the field is not of characteristic 2, a known theorem is generalized by considering k, the number of elementary divisors of odd degree of the n × n A: If -1 is a sum of 2^v squares and n differs from a multiple of 2^{v + 1} by at most ±k, then A is similar to a symmetric matrix.     

On k-spaces of real matrices

It is shown that if W is a linear subspace of real n × n matrices, such that rank (A) = k for all 0 ≠ A ∈ W, then dim W≤ n. If dim W = n.5≤ n is prime, and 2 is primitive modulo n then k =1.     

On some properties of the series ∑k=0 kx and the Stirling numbers of the second kind

We partially characterize the rational numbers x and integers n 0 for which the sum ∑_k=0^∞ kⁿx^k assumes integers. We prove that if ∑_k=0^∞ kⁿx^k is an integer for x = 1 − a/b with a, b> 0 integers and gcd(a,b) = 1, then a = 1 or 2. Partial results and conjectures are given which indicate for which b and n it is an integer if a = 2. The proof is based on lower bounds on the multiplicities of factors of the Stirling number of the second kind, S(n,k). More specifically, we obtain for all integers k, 2 k n, and a 3, provided a is odd or divisible by 4, where v_a(m) denotes the exponent of the highest power of a which divides m, for m and a> 1 integers.

New identities are also derived for the Stirling numbers, e.g., we show that ∑_k=0²ⁿk! S(2n, k) , for all integers n 1.     

On isometries of matrix spaces

Let A_kbe the group of isometries of the space of n-by-n matrices over reals (resp. complexes, quaternions) with respect to the Ky Fan k-norm (see the Introduction for the definitions). Let Γ⁰ be the group of transformations of this space consisting of all products of left and right multiplications by the elements of SO(n)(resp. U(n), Sp(n)). It is shown that, except for three particular casesA_k coincides with the normalizer of Γ in Δ group of isometries of the above matrix space with respect to the standard inner product. We also give an alternative treatment of the case D = Rn = 4k = 2 which was studied in detail by Johnson, Laffey, and Li [4].