Skip to main content
Post Undeleted by Vidit Nanda
deleted 83 characters in body; added 14 characters in body
Source Link
Vidit Nanda
  • 15.5k
  • 2
  • 63
  • 125

Start with $n = 2$. An element of $M(2,k)$Okay, so this is determined bynowhere near a single $a \in \{0,\ldots,k\}~$ for $k \geq 2$. Since we wish to avoid $a=0,k~$complete solution, but this is as far as I got and hopefully someone else sees it from here:

It is clear that $P(2,k) = \frac{k-1}{k+1}~$ which is certainly non-decreasing in $k$. Keep in mind the valid choices of $a$: these come from $[0,k] \cap \mathbb{Z}~$. Observe that $[0,k]$ is the standard simplex $S$ of side $k$ in dimension $1$ and that the $0$ entries correspond to the boundary of this simplex.

The caseWhen $n=3$ is much more interesting:, the matrices in $M(3,k)$ correspond to four integers $a_{11},a_{12},a_{21},a_{22}~$ from $0,\ldots,k~$ such that

  1. For $i = 1,2~$ the sum$i = 1$ or $2~$, $\sum_j a_{ij} \leq k$
  2. For $j = 1,2~$ the sum$j = 1$ or $2~$, $\sum_i a_{ij} \leq k$
  3. And finally, $\sum_{ij} a_{ij} \geq k$.

We get a zero entry if either one of the $a_{ij}$ is zero or if one of theThese hyperplane inequalities above is an equality. Each of these situations corresponds to the point with coordinates $a_{ij}$ lying oncarve out a boundary face of the four dimensional "prism" which consists ofconvex region $C \subset \mathbb{R}^4$ from the cube $[0,k]^4$ intersected withand the half space from"zero entry" cases of $M(3,k)$ are precisely the third inequalitybounding faces of this region.

So bottom line: I think, if a theorem establishes that the ratio $$\frac{\text{integral points on the boundary of this prism}}{\text{ the total number of integral points in this prism}}$$$$\frac{\text{integral points on the boundary of } C}{\text{ total number of integral points in }C}$$ decreases as one increases $k$, which leads tothen we obtain your desired result. TheI don't know enough about convex polytopes to cite something here but it sounds reasonable just from dimension considerations...

Ideally, this process generalizeswould generalize to higher dimensions. An element of $M(n,k)$ has zero entries if and only if the vector of entries in the first $(n-1) \times (n-1)$ block lies in the boundary of convex polytope carved from the cube $[0,1]^{(n-1)^2}$ by $2n-1$ hyperplanes.

Start with $n = 2$. An element of $M(2,k)$ is determined by a single $a \in \{0,\ldots,k\}~$ for $k \geq 2$. Since we wish to avoid $a=0,k~$ it is clear that $P(2,k) = \frac{k-1}{k+1}~$ which is certainly non-decreasing in $k$. Keep in mind the valid choices of $a$: these come from $[0,k] \cap \mathbb{Z}~$. Observe that $[0,k]$ is the standard simplex $S$ of side $k$ in dimension $1$ and that the $0$ entries correspond to the boundary of this simplex.

The case $n=3$ is much more interesting: the matrices in $M(3,k)$ correspond to four integers $a_{11},a_{12},a_{21},a_{22}~$ from $0,\ldots,k~$ such that

  1. For $i = 1,2~$ the sum $\sum_j a_{ij} \leq k$
  2. For $j = 1,2~$ the sum $\sum_i a_{ij} \leq k$
  3. And finally, $\sum_{ij} a_{ij} \geq k$.

We get a zero entry if either one of the $a_{ij}$ is zero or if one of the inequalities above is an equality. Each of these situations corresponds to the point with coordinates $a_{ij}$ lying on a boundary face of the four dimensional "prism" which consists of the cube $[0,k]^4$ intersected with the half space from the third inequality.

So bottom line: I think that the ratio $$\frac{\text{integral points on the boundary of this prism}}{\text{ the total number of integral points in this prism}}$$ decreases as one increases $k$, which leads to your desired result. The process generalizes to higher dimensions.

Okay, so this is nowhere near a complete solution, but this is as far as I got and hopefully someone else sees it from here:

It is clear that $P(2,k) = \frac{k-1}{k+1}~$ which is certainly non-decreasing in $k$.

When $n=3$, the matrices in $M(3,k)$ correspond to four integers $a_{11},a_{12},a_{21},a_{22}~$ from $0,\ldots,k~$ such that

  1. For $i = 1$ or $2~$, $\sum_j a_{ij} \leq k$
  2. For $j = 1$ or $2~$, $\sum_i a_{ij} \leq k$
  3. And finally, $\sum_{ij} a_{ij} \geq k$.

These hyperplane inequalities carve out a convex region $C \subset \mathbb{R}^4$ from the cube $[0,k]^4$ and the "zero entry" cases of $M(3,k)$ are precisely the bounding faces of this region.

So, if a theorem establishes that the ratio $$\frac{\text{integral points on the boundary of } C}{\text{ total number of integral points in }C}$$ decreases as one increases $k$, then we obtain your desired result. I don't know enough about convex polytopes to cite something here but it sounds reasonable just from dimension considerations...

Ideally, this process would generalize to higher dimensions. An element of $M(n,k)$ has zero entries if and only if the vector of entries in the first $(n-1) \times (n-1)$ block lies in the boundary of convex polytope carved from the cube $[0,1]^{(n-1)^2}$ by $2n-1$ hyperplanes.

Post Deleted by Vidit Nanda
Fixed stupidity...; deleted 29 characters in body
Source Link
Vidit Nanda
  • 15.5k
  • 2
  • 63
  • 125

Start with $n = 2$. An element of $M(2,k)$ is determined by a single $a \in \{0,\ldots,k\}~$ for $k \geq 2$. Since we wish to avoid $a=0,k~$ it is clear that $P(2,k) = \frac{k-1}{k+1}~$ which is certainly non-decreasing in $k$. Keep in mind the valid choices of $a$: these come from $[0,k] \cap \mathbb{Z}~$. Observe that $[0,k]$ is the standard simplex $S$ of side $k$ in dimension $1$ and that the $0$ entries correspond to the boundary of this simplex.

The case $n=3$ is much more interesting: the matrices in $M(3,k)$ correspond to four integers $a_{11},a_{12},a_{21},a_{22}~$ from $0,\ldots,k~$ such that

  1. For $i = 1,2~$ the sum $\sum_j a_{ij} \leq k$
  2. For $j = 1,2~$ the sum $\sum_i a_{ij} \leq k$
  3. And finally, $\sum_{ij} a_{ij} \geq k$.

We get a zero entry if either one of the $a_{ij}$ is zero or if one of the inequalities above is an equality. Each of these situations corresponds to the point with coordinates $a_{ij}$ lying on a boundary face of the four dimensional simplex"prism" which consists of the cube $[0,k]^4$ minusintersected with the open simplex which comeshalf space from reversing the third inequality above.

So bottom line: I think that if the ratio $$\frac{\text{integral points on the boundary of this simplex}}{\text{ the total number of integral points in this simplex}}$$$$\frac{\text{integral points on the boundary of this prism}}{\text{ the total number of integral points in this prism}}$$ decreases as one increases $k$, which leads to your desired result. The process generalizes to higher dimensions.

Start with $n = 2$. An element of $M(2,k)$ is determined by a single $a \in \{0,\ldots,k\}~$ for $k \geq 2$. Since we wish to avoid $a=0,k~$ it is clear that $P(2,k) = \frac{k-1}{k+1}~$ which is certainly non-decreasing in $k$. Keep in mind the valid choices of $a$: these come from $[0,k] \cap \mathbb{Z}~$. Observe that $[0,k]$ is the standard simplex $S$ of side $k$ in dimension $1$ and that the $0$ entries correspond to the boundary of this simplex.

The case $n=3$ is much more interesting: the matrices in $M(3,k)$ correspond to four integers $a_{11},a_{12},a_{21},a_{22}~$ from $0,\ldots,k~$ such that

  1. For $i = 1,2~$ the sum $\sum_j a_{ij} \leq k$
  2. For $j = 1,2~$ the sum $\sum_i a_{ij} \leq k$
  3. And finally, $\sum_{ij} a_{ij} \geq k$.

We get a zero entry if either one of the $a_{ij}$ is zero or if one of the inequalities above is an equality. Each of these situations corresponds to the $a_{ij}$ lying on a face of the four dimensional simplex which consists of the cube $[0,k]^4$ minus the open simplex which comes from reversing the third inequality above.

So bottom line: I think that if the ratio $$\frac{\text{integral points on the boundary of this simplex}}{\text{ the total number of integral points in this simplex}}$$ decreases as one increases $k$, which leads to your desired result. The process generalizes to higher dimensions.

Start with $n = 2$. An element of $M(2,k)$ is determined by a single $a \in \{0,\ldots,k\}~$ for $k \geq 2$. Since we wish to avoid $a=0,k~$ it is clear that $P(2,k) = \frac{k-1}{k+1}~$ which is certainly non-decreasing in $k$. Keep in mind the valid choices of $a$: these come from $[0,k] \cap \mathbb{Z}~$. Observe that $[0,k]$ is the standard simplex $S$ of side $k$ in dimension $1$ and that the $0$ entries correspond to the boundary of this simplex.

The case $n=3$ is much more interesting: the matrices in $M(3,k)$ correspond to four integers $a_{11},a_{12},a_{21},a_{22}~$ from $0,\ldots,k~$ such that

  1. For $i = 1,2~$ the sum $\sum_j a_{ij} \leq k$
  2. For $j = 1,2~$ the sum $\sum_i a_{ij} \leq k$
  3. And finally, $\sum_{ij} a_{ij} \geq k$.

We get a zero entry if either one of the $a_{ij}$ is zero or if one of the inequalities above is an equality. Each of these situations corresponds to the point with coordinates $a_{ij}$ lying on a boundary face of the four dimensional "prism" which consists of the cube $[0,k]^4$ intersected with the half space from the third inequality.

So bottom line: I think that the ratio $$\frac{\text{integral points on the boundary of this prism}}{\text{ the total number of integral points in this prism}}$$ decreases as one increases $k$, which leads to your desired result. The process generalizes to higher dimensions.

Source Link
Vidit Nanda
  • 15.5k
  • 2
  • 63
  • 125

Start with $n = 2$. An element of $M(2,k)$ is determined by a single $a \in \{0,\ldots,k\}~$ for $k \geq 2$. Since we wish to avoid $a=0,k~$ it is clear that $P(2,k) = \frac{k-1}{k+1}~$ which is certainly non-decreasing in $k$. Keep in mind the valid choices of $a$: these come from $[0,k] \cap \mathbb{Z}~$. Observe that $[0,k]$ is the standard simplex $S$ of side $k$ in dimension $1$ and that the $0$ entries correspond to the boundary of this simplex.

The case $n=3$ is much more interesting: the matrices in $M(3,k)$ correspond to four integers $a_{11},a_{12},a_{21},a_{22}~$ from $0,\ldots,k~$ such that

  1. For $i = 1,2~$ the sum $\sum_j a_{ij} \leq k$
  2. For $j = 1,2~$ the sum $\sum_i a_{ij} \leq k$
  3. And finally, $\sum_{ij} a_{ij} \geq k$.

We get a zero entry if either one of the $a_{ij}$ is zero or if one of the inequalities above is an equality. Each of these situations corresponds to the $a_{ij}$ lying on a face of the four dimensional simplex which consists of the cube $[0,k]^4$ minus the open simplex which comes from reversing the third inequality above.

So bottom line: I think that if the ratio $$\frac{\text{integral points on the boundary of this simplex}}{\text{ the total number of integral points in this simplex}}$$ decreases as one increases $k$, which leads to your desired result. The process generalizes to higher dimensions.