Linear equations with unknowns from a multiplicative group whose solutions lie in a small number of subspaces

Let K be a field of characteristic 0 and let (K^*)ⁿ denote the n-fold Cartesian product of K^*, endowed with coordinatewise multiplication. Let Γ be a subgroup of (K^*)ⁿ of finite rank. We consider equations (*) a₁x₁ + … + a_nx_n = 1 in x = (x₁x_n)Γ, where a = (a₁,a_n)(K^*)ⁿ. Two tuples a, b(K^*)ⁿ are called Γ-equivalent if there is a uΓ such that b = u · a. Gy?ry and the author Compositio Math. 66 (1988) 329-354] showed that for all but finitely many Γ-equivalence classes of tuples a(K^*)ⁿ, the set of solutions of (*) is contained in the union of not more than 2⁽ⁿ⁺¹! proper linear subspaces of Kⁿ. Later, this was improved by the author J. reine angew. Math. 432 (1992) 177-217] to (n!)²ⁿ⁺². In the present paper we will show that for all but finitely many Γ-equivalence classes of tuples of coefficients, the set of non-degenerate solutions of (*) (i.e., with non-vanishing subsums) is contained in the union of not more than 2ⁿ proper linear subspaces of Kⁿ. Further we give an example showing that 2ⁿ cannot be replaced by a quantity smaller than n.