All Questions
6,260 questions
20
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Frobenius splitting and derived Cartier isomorphism
Let $X$ be a smooth algebraic variety over an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $p>\dim X$. The motivation for my question comes from the following results.
1. If $X$ is Frobenius ...
- 16.2k
20
votes
3
answers
1k
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Simultaneous "orthonormalization" in $\mathbb{C}^4$
Let $A$ be a positive, invertible $4 \times 4$ hermitian complex matrix.
So we have a positive sesquilinear form $\langle Av,w\rangle$. Say that a pair $(v,w)$ of vectors in $\mathbb{C}^4$ is good ...
- 42.8k
20
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2
answers
1k
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Spectral radius on 0-1 vectors.
Let $A$ be an $n\times n$ symmetric substochastic matrix (i.e. all entries are non-negative and each row adds up to $1$ or less).
Call a vector $v \in \mathbb{R}^n$ an indicator if $v \neq 0$ and ...
- 4,304
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2
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Find $Y\in\operatorname{GL}_n(\mathbb{Z})$ such that all eigenvalues of $YX$ are nonnegative
I saw this problem some years ago and I would greatly appreciate any reference or solution.
Let $X \in \operatorname{M}_n ( \mathbb{R} )$. Prove that there is $Y \in \operatorname{M}_n ( \mathbb{Z} )$...
- 3,153
20
votes
0
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408
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Ado's theorem and the reduction to positive characteristic
The synopsis: proofs of Ado theorem in positive characteristic are simple, and in characteristic $0$ are difficult. Can one infer the characteristic $0$ case from the positive characteristic case?
The ...
- 2,934
19
votes
17
answers
7k
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Vector spaces without natural bases
Does anyone know any nice examples of vector spaces without a basis that is in some sense "natural".
To clarify what I mean, suppose we look at $\mathbb{R}^2$. We define $\mathbb{R}^2$ as pairs of ...
19
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2
answers
2k
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How to prove positivity of determinant for these matrices?
Let $g(x) = e^x + e^{-x}$. For $x_1 < x_2 < \dots < x_n$ and $b_1 < b_2 < \dots < b_n$, I'd like to show that the determinant of the following matrix is positive, regardless of $n$:
...
- 325
19
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3
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6k
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What are the matrices preserving the $\ell^1$-norm?
So I am inspired by unitary matrices which preserve the $\ell^2$-norm of all vectors, so in particular the unit norm vectors. But then I saw that the $\ell^1$-norm of probability vectors is preserved ...
- 391
19
votes
3
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2k
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Elkies' supersingularity theorem in higher dimension
The following is a theorem of Elkies:
Let $X$ be an elliptic curve over $\mathbb{Q}$. Then there are infinitely many primes $p$ such that the action of Frobenius on $H^1(\mathcal{O}, X)$ is zero.
...
- 156k
19
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1
answer
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Non-degenerate alternating bilinear form on a finite abelian group
I asked this question on math.stackexchange yesterday, but nobody has helped so far, and only 44 people have seen it! So I hope people do not mind me asking it here...
Let $A$ be a finite abelian ...
- 831
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2
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9k
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Distributing the Hodge map over the wedge product
Let $(V,\langle,\rangle)$ be a finite dimensional inner product space, $V^{\wedge}$ it exterior algebra, and $\ast$ the Hodge star arising from $\langle,\rangle$. Does there exist any formula to "...
- 191
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1
answer
2k
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The Infinitesimal topos in positive characteristic
This question was inspired by and is somewhat related to this question.
In his article "Crystals and the de Rham cohomology of schemes" in the collection "Dix exposes sur la cohomologie ...
- 4,450
19
votes
4
answers
7k
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Sherman-Morrison type formula for Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse
Given an $n\times n$ invertible matrix $\mathbf A$ and two column vectors $\mathbf u$, $\mathbf v\in\mathbb R^n$, suppose that $1 + {\mathbf v}^T {\mathbf A}^{-1}\mathbf u \neq 0$.
Then the Sherman-...
19
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5
answers
1k
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List of counting proofs instead of linear algebra method in combinatorics
I've just come across this proof of the Graham-Pollak Theorem by Sundar Vishwanathan (thanks to Konrad Swanepoel's sporadic comments about it on this site), that must be called beautiful after its ...
- 19.1k
19
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4
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2k
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Problems concerning subspaces of $M_n(\mathbb{C})$
Let $M_n(\mathbb{C})$ denote the n times n matrices over the complex number field. N be a subspace of $M_n(\mathbb{C})$.
If all the matrices in N are non-invertible , what is the maximum the ...
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1
answer
2k
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Smallest eigenvalue of a tricky random matrix
While experimenting with positive-definite functions, I was led to the following:
Let $n$ be a positive integer, and let $x_1,\ldots,x_n$ be sampled from a zero-mean, unit variance gaussian. Consider ...
- 28.6k
19
votes
4
answers
719
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The rank of a perturbed triangular matrix
$\DeclareMathOperator{\rk}{rk}$
The question below is implicit in this MO post, but I believe it deserves to be asked explicitly, particularly now that I have some more numerical evidence.
Suppose ...
- 23k
19
votes
2
answers
1k
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Exponentiation of vector spaces?
This question occurred to me while thinking on another one here, Name for an operation on matrices?
Can one define in an invariant way a binary operation on finite-dimensional vector spaces - let us ...
- 18.4k
19
votes
1
answer
494
views
Linear maps between arbitrarily chosen vectors of vector spaces $V$ and $W$
I recently came across this question:
Is the axiom of choice needed to prove the following statement:
Let $V, W$ be vector spaces, and suppose $V \neq \{0\}$. Let $v \in V$, $v \neq 0$, $w \in W$. ...
- 191
19
votes
1
answer
694
views
What is the groupoid cardinality of the category of vector spaces over a finite field?
For any groupoid, it's groupoid cardinality is the sum of the reciprocals of the automorphism groups over the isomorphism classes. Let us consider the category of vector spaces over a finite field $\...
- 7,746
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3
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2k
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Research level applications of "row rank = column rank"?
No less an authority than Gilbert Strang frames "row rank equals column rank" (and a couple of other facts) as "The Fundamental Theorem of Linear Algebra."
I'd simply like to assemble (for teaching ...
19
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1
answer
977
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Lang's Jacobian identity: slicker, elementary proof?
In Jeffrey Lang, A Jacobian identity in positive characteristic, J. Commut. Algebra, Volume 7, Number 3 (2015), pp. 393--409, the following result is proven:
Theorem 1. Let $p$ be a prime. Let $\...
- 33.8k
19
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4
answers
2k
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Variation on a matrix game
The original problem appeared on last year's Putnam exam:
"Alan and Barbara play a game in which they take turns filling entries of an initially empty 2008×2008 array. Alan plays first. At each turn, ...
- 1,975
19
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1
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4k
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How should I think about the module of coinvariants of a $G$-module?
Let $G$ be a group, $M$ a $G$-module, then the group of coinvariants is the module $M_G := M/I_GM$, where $I_G$ is the kernel of the augmentation map $\epsilon : \mathbb{Z}G\rightarrow \mathbb{Z}$.
...
- 7,547
19
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1
answer
856
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A possible extension of a determinant inequality
It is well known that if $A, B$ are positive semidefinite matrices, then $$\det (A+B)\ge \det A+\det B.$$
I am considering a possible extension of this result. Let $\mathbb{M}_m(\mathbb{M}_n)$ ...
- 1,748
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1
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Is there a connected $k$-group scheme $G$ such that $G_{red}$ is not a subgroup?
I've been trying a learn a little more about group schemes by working through a set of exercises on Brian Conrad's website. Exercise 8.3 of http://math.stanford.edu/~conrad/papers/gpschemehw1.pdf ...
- 3,625
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1
answer
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Perfectoid approach to resolution of singularities in char $p$
Since perfectoid techniques have built a bridge between char $0$ and char $p$ worlds, it is conceivable that they can be applied to resolution of singularities in char $p$ using their successful ...
- 199
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1
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Recognize this strange expression from linear algebra?
I've come across an odd-looking expression and oh how I wish I had a more elegant description of it. Maybe someone who enjoys symmetric bilinear forms in characteristic two will recognize it? Or ...
- 13.3k
19
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1
answer
904
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Is the norm of a $0-1$ matrix (almost) attained on a $0-1$ vector?
I'd like to state explicitly a problem which was somehow hidden in my three-week-old post:
Does there exist an absolute constant $c>0$ with the property that for any matrix $M\in{\mathcal M}_{m\...
- 23k
19
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2
answers
3k
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Bertini theorems for base-point-free linear systems in positive characteristics
Suppose that $X$ is a smooth algebraic variety over an algebraically closed (uncountable if it helps) field of characteristic $p > 0$. Suppose that $L$ is a line bundle, probably ample or at least ...
- 20.5k
19
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1
answer
895
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Are the only local minima of $\angle(v, Av)$ the eigenvectors?
Let $A$ be an invertible $n \times n$ complex matrix. For $v \in \mathbb{CP}^{n-1}$, define
$$d(v) = \frac{|\langle A \tilde{v}, \tilde{v} \rangle |^2}{ \langle A \tilde{v}, A \tilde{v} \rangle \...
- 156k
19
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1
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825
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Number of matrices with given Smith normal form
Denote with $\mathcal{M}$ the set of $(m \times n)$-matrices with integer coefficients bounded by some $K$. Given a matrix $B \in \mathcal{M}$ that is in Smith normal form, is anything known about the ...
- 1,101
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3
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Number of invertible {0,1} real matrices?
This question is inspired from here, where it was asked what possible determinants an $n \times n$ matrix with entries in {0,1} can have over $\mathbb{R}$.
My question is: how many such matrices ...
- 32.1k
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2
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Is a matrix similar to its transpose over $\mathbb{Z}_p$?
Is every $n \times n$ matrix with entries in $\mathbb{Z}_p$ (or even $\mathbb{Z}$) conjugate to its transpose via a matrix in $GL_n(\mathbb{Z}_p)$?
On the one hand, I know the analogous fact is false ...
- 2,242
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3
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Lifting varieties to characteristic zero.
If you want to compute crystalline cohomology of a smooth proper variety $X$ over a perfect field $k$ of characteristic $p$, the first thing you might want to try is to lift $X$ to the Witt ring $W_k$ ...
- 4,015
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1
answer
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A linear algebra problem in positive characteristic
Let $A$ be a symmetric square matrix with entries in $\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}$ for a prime $p$ such that all of its diagonal entries are nonzero. Does there exists always a vector $x$ with all ...
- 4,484
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6
answers
6k
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Computing signature
I have a feeling that this might have already been asked, but can't find the question. Anyway, the question is: given a symmetric $n\times n$ matrix, is there a faster way to compute its signature ...
- 96.4k
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3
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Elementary $\mathrm{Ext}^1$ intuition
$\DeclareMathOperator{\Hom}{\operatorname{Hom}}\DeclareMathOperator{\Ext}{\operatorname{Ext}}$I am wondering what sort of basic basic intuitive meaning $\Ext^1(M,N)$ has.
As a base case: if $M$ and $N$...
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1
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Is Carlitz's paper correct about the number of similarity classes of commuting matrices?
L. Carlitz has a paper, Classes of pairs of commuting matrices over a finite field, that computes the number of simultaneous similarity classes of of pairs of commuting matrices in $\operatorname{Mat}...
- 472
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1
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848
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Showing that a certain matrix is not positive definite
Let $J_k$ be a $k \times k$ all ones matrix and $B$ any $k \times k$ binary matrix - that is $B$ only has entries from $\{0,1\}$.
I would like to show that the matrix $$X_B = (J_k -I) - B (J_k - I)^{-...
- 3,463
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3
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2k
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Torsion in GL_n(Z)
Fix some $n \geq 3$. It's hopeless to classify the torsion elements in $\text{GL}_n(\mathbb{Z})$, but I have a couple of less ambitious questions. It's well-known that for any odd prime $p$, the map ...
- 44.9k
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3
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6k
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Number of unique determinants for an NxN (0,1)-matrix
I'm interested in bounds for the number of unique determinants of NxN (0,1)-matrices. Obviously some of these matrices will be singular and therefore will trivially have zero determinant. While it ...
- 359
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2
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Minimum off-diagonal elements of a matrix with fixed eigenvalues
I am an engineer working in radar research. I came accross a problem on which I cannot seem to find literature. I can ask it in two different ways. Perhaps depending on the reader, the alternative ...
- 345
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3
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Example of a space for which $V \cong Hom(V,V)$
Let $V$ be a topological linear space, and let $\operatorname{Hom}(V,V)$ be the space of continuous linear maps from $V$ back to $V$, equipped with a suitable topology.
Is there a non-trivial ...
- 8,532
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2
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3k
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Zeta-function regularization of determinants and traces
The short answer to my question may be a pointer to the right text. I will give all the background I know, and then ask my questions in list form.
Let A be an operator (on an infinite-dimensional ...
- 54.6k
18
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2
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488
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Encoding primes via ranks of sign matrices
(Reposted from math.SE)
Recently I came across a very simply defined family of matrices: for $n \in \mathbb{N}$, set $A_n := (a_{ij})_{0 \le i, j \le n-1}$, where
$$\displaystyle a_{ij} := (-1)^{\big\...
- 281
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1
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How fast can extreme eigenvalues of the average of random matrices converge to their expectation?
Suppose that $X_1,X_2,\ldots,X_m$ are independent $d\times d$ random matrices and let $\overline{X} := \frac{1}{m}\sum_{i=1}^m X_i$. One of the questions studied under the theory of random matrices is ...
- 181
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1
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Commuting unitaries
Is the following true:
For every unit vectors $x_1,..., x_n$, $y_1,..., y_n$ in $\mathbb{C}^k$
there exist a Hilbert space $H$, unitary operators $U_1,...,U_n$ and $V_1,...,V_n$ in $B(H)$ and unit ...
- 4,705
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2
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Karoubi versus Kasparov K-theory
I have the following, probably very elementary question: Let $Cl^{p,q}$ be the Clifford algebra on generators $e_i$, $i=1, \ldots, p+q$
with $e_i e_j = -e_j e_i$ and $e_{i}^{2}=-1$ for $i=1,\ldots,p$, ...
- 20.9k
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1
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Independence of $\ell$ of Betti numbers
When $X$ is a smooth proper variety over $\mathbb F_q$, we know by Deligne's theory of weights that the dimension of $H^i_{\operatorname{\acute et}}(\bar X, \mathbb Q_\ell)$ does not depend on $\ell$. ...
- 28.8k