A few Putnam problems come to mind. Here's one that I could easy locate most easily.

1992 problem B-6. Let $\cal M$ be a set of real $n \times n$ matrices such that
i) $I \in \cal M$ (identity matrix);
ii) If $A\in \cal M$ and $B \in \cal M$ then exactly one of $AB$ and $-AB$ is in $\cal M$;
iii) If $A\in \cal M$ and $B\in \cal M$ then either $AB=BA$ or $AB=-BA$;
iv) If $A \in \cal M$ and $A \neq I$ then there is at least one $B \in \cal M$ such that $AB = -BA$.
Prove that $\cal M$ contains at most $n^2$ matrices.

It turns out that equality holds precisely when $\cal M$ is constructed as follows: let $n=2^m$ for some integer $m>0$, let $G$ be the extraspecial group $2_+^{1+2m}$ (generalized dihedral group), and let $\rho$ be the unique irreducible representation of $G$ that is nontrivial on the center. Then $\rho$ has dimension $n$. Let $\cal M$ be the image under $\rho$ of any set of representatives of $G$ modulo its 2-element center that contains the identity.

The solution leads naturally to this construction because it uses ideas from representation theory (if $\cal M$ were larger than $n^2$, there would be a linear relation, etc.).

A few Putnam problems come to mind. Here's one that I could easy locate.

1992 problem B-6. Let $\cal M$ be a set of real $n \times n$ matrices such that
i) $I \in \cal M$ (identity matrix);
ii) If $A\in \cal M$ and $B \in \cal M$ then exactly one of $AB$ and $-AB$ is in $\cal M$;
iii) If $A\in \cal M$ and $B\in \cal M$ then either $AB=BA$ or $AB=-BA$;
iv) If $A \in \cal M$ and $A \neq I$ then there is at least one $B \in \cal M$ such that $AB = -BA$.
Prove that $\cal M$ contains at most $n^2$ matrices.

It turns out that equality holds precisely when $\cal M$ is constructed as follows: let $n=2^m$ for some integer $m>0$, let $G$ be extraspecial group $2_+^{1+2m}$ (generalized dihedral group), and let $\rho$ be the unique irreducible representation of $G$ that is nontrivial on the center. Then $\rho$ has dimension $n$. Let $\cal M$ be the image under $\rho$ of any set of representatives of $G$ modulo its 2-element center that contains the identity.

The solution leads naturally to this construction because it uses ideas from representation theory (if $\cal M$ were larger than $n^2$, there would be a linear relation, etc.).

A few Putnam problems come to mind. Here's one that I could easy locate.

1992 problem B-6. Let $\cal M$ be a set of real $n \times n$ matrices such that
i) $I \in \cal M$ (identity matrix);
ii) If $A\in \cal M$ and $B \in \cal M$ then exactly one of $AB$ and $-AB$ is in $M$;\cal M$;
iii) If $A\in \cal M$ and $B\in \cal M$ then either $AB=BA$ or $AB=-BA$;
iv) If $A \in \cal M$ and $A \neq I$ then there is at least one $B \in \cal M$ such that $AB = -BA$.
Prove that $\cal M$ contains at most $n^2$ matrices.

It turns out that equality holds precisely when $\cal M$ is constructed as follows: let $n=2^m$ for some integer $m>0$, let $G$ be extraspecial group $2_+^{1+2m}$ (generalized dihedral group), and let $\rho$ be the unique irreducible representation of $G$ that is nontrivial on the center. Then $\rho$ has dimension $n$. Let $\cal M$ be the image under $\rho$ of any set of representatives of $G$ modulo its 2-element center that contains the identity.

The solution leads naturally to this construction because it uses ideas from representation theory (if $M$ were larger than $n^2$, there would be a linear relation, etc.).

A few Putnam problems come to mind. Here's one that I could easy locate.

1992 problem B-6. Let $M$ be a set of real $n \times n$ matrices such that
i) $I \in M$ (identity matrix);
ii) If $A\in M$ and $B \in M$ then exactly one of $AB$ and $-AB$ is in $M$;
iii) If $A\in M$ and $B\in M$ then either $AB=BA$ or $AB=-BA$;
iv) If $A \in M$ and $A \neq I$ then there is at least one $B \in M$ such that $AB = -BA$.
Prove that $M$ contains at most $n^2$ matrices.

It turns out that equality holds precisely when $M$ is constructed as follows: let $n=2^m$ for some integer $m>0$, let $G$ be extraspecial group $2_+^{1+2m}$ (generalized dihedral group), and let $\rho$ be the unique irreducible representation of $G$ that is nontrivial on the center. Then $\rho$ has dimension $n$. Let $M$ be the image under $\rho$ of any set of representatives of $G$ modulo its 2-element center that contains the identity.

The solution leads naturally to this construction because it uses ideas from representation theory (if $M$ were larger than $n^2$, there would be a linear relation, etc.).