Nuclei of point sets of sizeq+1 contained in the union of two lines inPG(2,q)

We give a complete classification for pairs ( (),) where () is the set of all nuclei of a set ofq+1 not collinear points contained in the union of two lines in a desarguesian planePG(2,q) of orderq. We also obtain some new results concerning blocking sets of Rédei type and certain point-sets of type [0,1,m,n] inPG(2, q).     

On the upper chromatic number and multiple blocking sets of PG(n,q)

We investigate the upper chromatic number of the hypergraph formed by the points and the $k$‐dimensional subspaces of $\text{PG}\left(n,q\right)$; that is, the most number of colors that can be used to color the points so that every $k$‐subspace contains at least two points of the same color. Clearly, if one colors the points of a double blocking set with the same color, the rest of the points may get mutually distinct colors. This gives a trivial lower bound, and we prove that it is sharp in many cases. Due to this relation with double blocking sets, we also prove that for $t\le \frac{3}{8}p+1$, a small $t$‐fold (weighted) $\left(n?k\right)$‐blocking set of $\text{PG}\left(n,p\right),p$ prime, must contain the weighted sum of $t$ not necessarily distinct $\left(n?k\right)$‐spaces.     

Small point sets of PG(n, q 3) intersecting each k-subspace in 1 mod q points

The main result of this paper is that point sets of PG(n, q ³), q = p ^h , p ≥ 7 prime, of size less than 3(q ^3(n?k) + 1)/2 intersecting each k-space in 1 modulo q points (these are always small minimal blocking sets with respect to k-spaces) are linear blocking sets. As a consequence, we get that minimal blocking sets of PG(n, p ³), p ≥ 7 prime, of size less than 3(p ^3(n?k) + 1)/2 with respect to k-spaces are linear. We also give a classification of small linear blocking sets of PG(n, q ³) which meet every (n ? 2)-space in 1 modulo q points.     

Blocking sets in PG(2, q n ) from cones of PG(2n, q)

Let Ω and be a subset of Σ = PG(2n−1,q) and a subset of PG(2n,q) respectively, with Σ ⊂ PG(2n,q) and . Denote by K the cone of vertex Ω and base and consider the point set B defined by

Blockings-dimensional subspaces by lines inPG(2s,q)

We investigate sets of lines inPG(2s,q) such that everys-dimensional subspace contains a line of this set. We determine the minimum number of lines in such a set and show that there is only one type of such a set with this minimum number of lines.     

On pairs of Baer subplanes inPG(2,q 2)

The automorphism group of PG(2, q²) acts transitively on the Baer subplanes, but does not act transitively on the ordered pairs of disjoint Baer subplanes. We determine the geometric difference between pairs in different orbits.     

On the number of maximal sum-free sets

It is shown that the set contains at most maximal sum-free subsets, provided is large enough.

     

On the Action of the Groups GL(n+1, q), PGL(n + 1, q), SL(n + 1, q) and PSL(n + 1, q) on PG(n, q t)

Let q be a prime power and let n ≥ 0, t ≥ 1 be integers. We determine the sizes of the point orbits of each of the groups GL(n + 1, q), PGL(n + 1, q), SL(n + 1, q) and PSL(n + 1, q) acting on PG(n, q ^t) and for each of these sizes (and groups) we determine the exact number of point orbits of this size.     

The combinatorial structure of (m,n)-convex sets

LetS be a closed subset of a Hausdorff linear topological space,S having no isolated points, and letc _s (m) denote the largest integern for whichS is (m,n)-convex. Ifc _s (k)=0 andc _s (k+1)=1, then $$ c_s \left( m \right) = \sum\limits_{i = 1}^k {\left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {\left[ {\frac{{m + k - i}} {k}} \right]} \\ 2 \\ \end{array} } \right)} $$ . Moreover, ifT is a minimalm subset ofS, the combinatorial structure ofT is revealed.     

Graphs with the second largest number of maximal independent sets

Let G be a simple undirected graph. Denote by (respectively, xi(G)) the number of maximal (respectively, maximum) independent sets in G. Erd?s and Moser raised the problem of determining the maximum value of among all graphs of order n and the extremal graphs achieving this maximum value. This problem was solved by Moon and Moser. Then it was studied for many special classes of graphs, including trees, forests, bipartite graphs, connected graphs, (connected) triangle-free graphs, (connected) graphs with at most one cycle, and recently, (connected) graphs with at most r cycles. In this paper we determine the second largest value of and xi(G) among all graphs of order n. Moreover, the extremal graphs achieving these values are also determined.     

Trees with the second largest number of maximal independent sets

A maximal independent set is an independent set that is not a proper subset of any other independent set. In this paper, we determine the second largest number of maximal independent sets among all trees and forests of order n≥4. We also characterize those extremal graphs achieving these values.     

A class of completek-caps inPG(3,q) forq an odd prime

The main problem on caps, posed originally by Segre in the fifties, is to determine the values of k for which there exists a complete k-cap. Very few results on this problem are known. The cardinality of the largest cap(s) and the smallest complete cap(s) are crucial. In this paper it is shown that there exist complete k-caps in PG(3, q), q an odd prime 5 or q = 9, such that k = (q² + q + 6)/3 or k = (q² + 2q + 6)/3. These complete caps are smaller than those currently known for q odd.In memoriam Giuseppe Tallini     

Bounds on the number of maximal sum-free sets

We show that the number of maximal sum-free subsets of {1,2,…,n} is at most 2^3n/8+o(n). We also show that 2^0.406n+o(n) is an upper bound on the number of maximal product-free subsets of any group of order n.