Automorphism groups of finite posets

For any finite group G, we construct a finite poset (or equivalently, a finite T₀-space) X, whose group of automorphisms is isomorphic to G. If the order of the group is n and it has r generators, X has n(r+2) points. This construction improves previous results by G. Birkhoff and M.C. Thornton. The relationship between automorphisms and homotopy types is also analyzed.     

Retractions onto series-parallel posets

The poset retraction problem for a poset P is whether a given poset Q containing P as a subposet admits a retraction onto P, that is, whether there is a homomorphism from Q onto P which fixes every element of P. We study this problem for finite series-parallel posets P. We present equivalent combinatorial, algebraic, and topological charaterisations of posets for which the problem is tractable, and, for such a poset P, we describe posets admitting a retraction onto P.     

Geometric applications of posets

We show the power of posets in computational geometry by solving several problems posed on a set S of n points in the plane: (1) find the n − k − 1 rectilinear farthest neighbors (or, equivalently, k nearest neighbors) to every point of S (extendable to higher dimensions), (2) enumerate the k largest (smallest) rectilinear distances in decreasing (increasing) order among the points of S, (3) given a distance δ > 0, report all the pairs of points that belong to S and are of rectilinear distance δ or more (less), covering k ≥ n/2 points of S by rectilinear (4) and circular (5) concentric rings, and (6) given a number k ≥ n/2 decide whether a query rectangle contains k points or less.     

Strongly maximal antichains in posets

Given a collection S of sets, a set S∈S is said to be strongly maximal in S if |T?S|≤|S?T| for every T∈S. In Aharoni (1991) [3] it was shown that a poset with no infinite chain must contain a strongly maximal antichain. In this paper we show that for countable posets it suffices to demand that the poset does not contain a copy of posets of two types: a binary tree (going up or down) or a “pyramid”. The latter is a poset consisting of disjoint antichains A_i,i=1,2,…, such that |A_i|=i and x<y whenever x∈A_i,y∈A_j and j<i (a “downward” pyramid), or x<y whenever x∈A_i,y∈A_j and i<j (an “upward” pyramid).     

Parity representations of posets

Parity representations, introduced in this paper, comprise a new method of representation of posets that yields insight into the combinatorics of the poset of all intervals of a poset. Results here generalize some results previously obtained for the face lattices of binary partition polytopes.     

A self paired Hopf algebra on double posets and a Littlewood-Richardson rule

Let D be the set of isomorphism types of finite double partially ordered sets, that is sets endowed with two partial orders. On ZD we define a product and a coproduct, together with an internal product, that is, degree-preserving. With these operations ZD is a Hopf algebra. We define a symmetric bilinear form on this Hopf algebra: it counts the number of pictures (in the sense of Zelevinsky) between two double posets. This form is a Hopf pairing, which means that product and coproduct are adjoint each to another. The product and coproduct correspond respectively to disjoint union of posets and to a natural decomposition of a poset into order ideals. Restricting to special double posets (meaning that the second order is total), we obtain a notion equivalent to Stanley's labelled posets, and a Hopf subalgebra already considered by Blessenohl and Schocker. The mapping which maps each double poset onto the sum of the linear extensions of its first order, identified via its second (total) order with permutations, is a Hopf algebra homomorphism, which is isometric and preserves the internal product, onto the Hopf algebra of permutations, previously considered by the two authors. Finally, the scalar product between any special double poset and double posets naturally associated to integer partitions is described by an extension of the Littlewood-Richardson rule.     

The multiplicative meaning conveyed by visual representations

Research and practitioner articles advocate the use of visual representations in scaffolding elementary students’ learning of multiplication and division. Prior research suggests students use different strategies when provided with different visualized representations of multiplication and division. However, there is relatively little study examining how children’s multiplicative reasoning corresponds with different representations. The present study collected data from 182 elementary students responding to set, area, and length representations of multiplication/division. Rasch modeling was used to estimate item difficulty statistics to measure differences between visual representations. Results suggest that visual representations differed primarily in how unit was represented and quantified, and not regarding the form of representation (set, area, length).     

Coding and decoding representations of 3D shapes

The aim of this study is to examine students’ ability in interpreting and constructing plane representations of 3D shapes, and to trace categories of students that reflect different types of behaviour in representing 3D shapes. To achieve this goal, one test was administered to 279 students in grades 5–9, and forty of them were interviewed. The results of the study showed that the representation of 3D shapes is composed of two general representing/cognitive abilities, coding and decoding. Decoding refers to interpreting the structural elements and geometrical properties of 3D shapes in plane representations, while coding refers to constructing plane representations and nets of 3D shapes, and translating from one representational mode to another. A mixed-method analysis showed that four categories of students can be identified that describe four types of behaviour and explain students’ reasoning patterns in representing 3D shapes.     

Addition theorems and representations of topological semigroups

Let a representation T of semigroup G on linear space X be given. We call x∈Xa finite vector if its orbit T(G) is contained in a finite-dimensional subspace. In this paper some statements on finite vectors will be proved and applied to functional equations

     

Homology representations arising from the half cube, II

In a previous work, we defined a family of subcomplexes of the n-dimensional half cube by removing the interiors of all half cube shaped faces of dimension at least k, and we proved that the reduced homology of such a subcomplex is concentrated in degree k−1. This homology module supports a natural action of the Coxeter group W(Dn) of type D. In this paper, we explicitly determine the characters (over C) of these homology representations, which turn out to be multiplicity free. Regarded as representations of the symmetric group Sn by restriction, the homology representations turn out to be direct sums of certain representations induced from parabolic subgroups. The latter representations of Sn agree (over C) with the representations of Sn on the (k−2)-nd homology of the complement of the k-equal real hyperplane arrangement.     

Stable maps of Polish spaces

We define the notions of stable and transquotient maps and study the relation between these classes of maps. The class of stable maps contains all closed and open maps and their compositions. The transquotient maps preserve the property of being a Polish space, and every stable map between separable metric spaces is transquotient.

In particular, a composition of closed and open maps (the intermediary spaces may not be metric) preserves the property of being a Polish space. This generalizes the results of Sierpinski and Vainstein for open and closed maps.

     

Separation of unitary representations of connected Lie groups by their moment sets

We show that every unitary representation π of a connected Lie group G is characterized up to quasi-equivalence by its complete moment set.Moreover, irreducible unitary representations π of G are characterized by their moment sets.