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## linear independence of finite binary sequences

Let V_n={-1,1}^n be the hypercube and let $C_n$ be a collection {x_1,...,x_n} of n distinct elements of V_n.

Question: what is the smallest number N(n) of non-zero vectors with integer coefficients are needed to check that C_n is linearly independent over the integers? That is, what is the smallest set of such vectors $\{v_1,...v_{N(n)}\}$ that if $C_n$ is linearly dependent over the integers then there exists some element v_{i} with coordinates $(k_1,...,k_n)$ such that $k_1x_1+...+k_nx_n$ is non-zero.

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Do you mean "zero" at the end? – Brendan McKay Dec 5 at 8:31
Do you really want your collection of vectors `$\{x_1,\ldots, x_n\}$' to be unordered? – Rudi Pendavingh Dec 5 at 9:29
Siegel's lemma will give you an estimate. – Felipe Voloch Dec 5 at 16:16
Yes, I did mean "zero" at the end. – TOM Feb 17 at 12:43