Remark on the completeness of an exponential type sequence

B. J. Birch [1] proved that all sufficiently large integers can be expressed as a sum of pairwise distinct terms of the form p ^a q ^b , where p, q are given coprime integers greater than 1. Subsequently, Davenport pointed out that the exponent b can be bounded in terms of p and q. N. Hegyvári [3] gave an effective version of this bound. In this paper, we improve this bound by reducing one step.     

Exceptional cases of Terai’s conjecture on Diophantine equations

Let a, b, c be relatively prime positive integers such that a ^p  + b ^q  = c ^r for fixed integers p, q, r ≥ 2. Terai conjectured that the equation a ^x  + b ^y  = c ^z in positive integers has only the solution (x, y, z) = (p, q, r) except for specific cases. In this paper, we consider the case q = r = 2 and give some results related to exceptional cases.     

On an extension of a theorem on conjugacy class sizes

Let G be a finite group. We extend Alan Camina’s theorem on conjugacy classes sizes which asserts that if the conjugacy classes sizes of G are {1, p ^a , q ^b , p ^a q ^b }, where p and q are two distinct primes and a and b are integers, then G is nilpotent. We show that let G be a group and assume that the conjugacy classes sizes of elements of primary and biprimary orders of G are exactly {1, p ^a , n,p ^a n} with (p, n) = 1, where p is a prime and a and n are positive integers. If there is a p-element in G whose index is precisely p ^a , then G is nilpotent and n = q ^b for some prime q ≠ p.     

Bounding the Derived Length for a Given Set of Character Degrees

Let G be a finite solvable group with {1, a, b, c, ab, ac} as the character degree set, where a ,b, and c are pairwise coprime integers greater than 1. We show that the derived length of G is at most 4. This verifies that the Taketa inequality, dl(G) ≤ |cd(G)|, is valid for solvable groups with {1, a, b, c, ab, ac} as the character degree set. Also, as a corollary, we conclude that if a, b, c, and d are pairwise coprime integers greater than 1 and G is a solvable group such that cd(G) = {1, a, b, c, d, ac, ad, bc, bd}, then dl(G) ≤ 5. Finally, we construct a family of solvable groups whose derived lengths are 4 and character degree sets are in the form {1, p, b, pb, q ^p , pq ^p }, where p is a prime, q is a prime power of an odd prime, and b > 1 is integer such that p, q, and b are pairwise coprime. Hence, the bound 4 is the best bound for the derived length of solvable groups whose character degree set is in the form {1, a, b, c, ab, ac} for some pairwise coprime integers a, b, and c.     

On the least prime in an arithmetic progression

Letq, k be positive integers, (q, k)=1, andP(k, q) be the smallest prime number satisfyingpэk (modq) In this paper, we prove that forq sufficiently large, one hasP (k,q)≪q ⁸.     

Wieferich pairs and Barker sequences

We show that if a Barker sequence of length n > 13 exists, then either n = 189 260 468 001 034 441 522 766 781 604, or n > 2 · 10³⁰. This improves the lower bound on the length of a long Barker sequence by a factor of more than 10⁷. We also show that all but fewer than 1600 integers n ≤ 4 · 10²⁶ can be eliminated as the order of a circulant Hadamard matrix. These results are obtained by completing extensive searches for Wieferich prime pairs (q, p), which are defined by the relation q^p-1 o 1{q^{p-1} \equiv1} mod p ², and analyzing their results in combination with a number of arithmetic restrictions on n.     

Heron triangles with two fixed sides

In this paper, we study the function H(a,b), which associates to every pair of positive integers a and b the number of positive integers c such that the triangle of sides a, b and c is Heron, i.e., it has integral area. In particular, we prove that H(p,q)?5 if p and q are primes, and that H(a,b)=0 for a random choice of positive integers a and b.     

The mixing time of Glauber dynamics for coloring regular trees

We consider Metropolis Glauber dynamics for sampling proper q‐colorings of the n‐vertex complete b‐ary tree when 3 ≤ q ≤ b/(2lnb). We give both upper and lower bounds on the mixing time. Our upper bound is n^{O(b/ log b)} and our lower bound is n^{Ω(b/(q log b))}, where the constants implicit in the O() and Ω() notation do not depend upon n, q or b. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2010     

On the number of queries necessary to identify a permutation

Let p and q be two permutations over {1, 2,…, n}. We denote by m(p, q) the number of integers i, 1 ≤ i ≤ n, such that p(i) = q(i). For each fixed permutation p, a query is a permutation q of the same size and the answer a(q) to this query is m(p, q). We investigate the problem of finding the minimum number of queries required to identify an unknown permutation p. A polynomial-time algorithm that identifies a permutation of size n by O(n · log₂n) queries is presented. The lower bound of this problem is also considered. It is proved that the problem of determining the size of the search space created by a given set of queries and answers is #P-complete. Since this counting problem is essential for the analysis of the lower bound, a complete analysis of the lower bound appears infeasible. We conjecture, based on some preliminary analysis, that the lower bound is Ω(n · log₂n).     

Positive Toeplitz operators between the pluriharmonic Bergman spaces

We study Toeplitz operators between the pluriharmonic Bergman spaces for positive symbols on the ball. We give characterizations of bounded and compact Toeplitz operators taking a pluriharmonic Bergman space b ^p into another b ^q for 1 < p, q < ∞ in terms of certain Carleson and vanishing Carleson measures. This research was supported by KOSEF (R01-2003-000-10243-0) and Korea University Grant.     

Heilbronn's conjecture on Waring's number (mod p)

Let p be a prime k|p−1, t=(p−1)/k and γ(k,p) be the minimal value of s such that every number is a sum of s kth powers . We prove Heilbronn's conjecture that γ(k,p)?k1/2 for t>2. More generally we show that for any positive integer q, γ(k,p)?C(q)k1/q for ?(t)?q. A comparable lower bound is also given. We also establish exact values for γ(k,p) when ?(t)=2. For instance, when t=3, γ(k,p)=a+b−1 where a>b>0 are the unique integers with a²+b²+ab=p, and when t=4, γ(k,p)=a−1 where a>b>0 are the unique integers with a²+b²=p.     

Enumerative Properties of NC (B) (p,q)

We determine the rank generating function, the zeta polynomial and the M?bius function for the poset NC ^(B) (p, q) of annular non-crossing partitions of type B, where p and q are two positive integers. We give an alternative treatment of some of these results in the case q = 1, for which this poset is a lattice. We also consider the general case of multiannular noncrossing partitions of type B, and prove that this reduces to the cases of non-crossing partitions of type B in the annulus and the disc.     

An upper bound for the minimum weight of dual codes of Figueroa planes

In this note we give an explicit construction for words of weight 2q³ - q² - q in the dual p-ary code of the Figueroa plane of order q³, where q > 2 is any power of the prime p. When p is odd this then allows us, for the Figueroa planes, to improve on the previously known upper bound of 2q³ for the minimum weight of the dual p-ary code of any plane of order q³. The construction is the same as one that applies to desarguesian planes of order q³ as described in [3].     

How many s-subspaces must miss a point set in PG(d, q)

The following result is well-known for finite projective spaces. The smallest cardinality of a set of points of PG(n, q) with the property that every s-subspace has a point in the set is (q ^n+1-s - 1)/(q - 1). We solve in finite projective spaces PG(n, q) the following problem. Given integers s and b with 0 ≤ s ≤ n - 1 and 1 ≤ b ≤ (q ^n+1-s - 1)/(q - 1), what is the smallest number of s-subspaces that must miss a set of b points. If d is the smallest integer such that b ≤ (q ^d+1 - 1)/(q - 1), then we shall see that the smallest number is obtained only when the b points generate a subspace of dimension d. We then also determine the smallest number of s-subspaces that must miss a set of b points of PG(n, q) which do not lie together in a subspace of dimension d. The results are obtained by geometrical and combinatorial arguments that rely on a strong algebraic result for projective planes by T. Szőnyi and Z. Weiner.     

Lower Bounds for Catalan's Equation

This paper begins with a short historical survey on Catalan's equation, namely x^p-y^q=1, where p andq are prime numbers and x, y are non-zero rational integers. It is conjectured that the only solution is the trivial solution 3²-2³=1. We prove that there is no non-trivial solution with p orq smaller than 30000. The tools to reach such a result are presented. A crucial role is played by a recent estimate of linear forms in two logarithms obtained by Laurent, Mignotte and Nestrenko. The criteria used are also quite recent. We give information on the enormous amount of computation needed for the verification.     

Relative -difference sets in p-subgroups of

In this note, we study relative (p^a,p^b,p^a,p^a−b)-relative difference sets in certain p-subgroups of SL(n,K), K=F_q, where q is a prime power.     

Equivelar maps on the torus

We give a classification of all equivelar polyhedral maps on the torus. In particular, we classify all triangulations and quadrangulations of the torus admitting a vertex transitive automorphism group. These are precisely the ones which are quotients of the regular tessellations {3,6}, {6,3} or {4,4} by a pure translation group. An explicit formula for the number of combinatorial types of equivelar maps (polyhedral and non-polyhedral) with n vertices is obtained in terms of arithmetic functions in elementary number theory, such as the number of integer divisors of n. The asymptotic behaviour for n→∞ is also discussed, and an example is given for n such that the number of distinct equivelar triangulations of the torus with n vertices is larger than n itself. The numbers of regular and chiral maps are determined separately, as well as the ones for all other kinds of symmetry. Furthermore, arithmetic properties of the integers of type p²+pq+q² (or p²+q², resp.) can be interpreted and visualized by the hierarchy of covering maps between regular and chiral equivelar maps or type {3,6} (or {4,4}, resp.).     

Positive Toeplitz Operators Between the Harmonic Bergman Spaces

On the setting of the upper half space we study positive Toeplitz operators between the harmonic Bergman spaces. We give characterizations of bounded and compact positive Toeplitz operators taking a harmonic Bergman space b ^p into another b ^q for 1<p<, 1<q<. The case p=1 or q=1 seems more intriguing and is left open for further investigation. Also, we give criteria for positive Toeplitz operators acting on b ² to be in the Schatten classes. Some applications are also included.     

On the fundamental group of the complement¶of certain affine hypersurfaces

Let and be two non-constant weighted homogeneous polynomials. Suppose that f and g are not powers of polynomials. Let p and q be two positive integers. In this paper, we calculate the fundamental group of the complement of the affine hypersurface in . In particular, we prove that the fundamental group is determined by p and q. Received: 29 January 1998