Questions tagged [co.combinatorics]
Enumerative combinatorics, graph theory, order theory, posets, matroids, designs and other discrete structures. It also includes algebraic, analytic and probabilistic combinatorics.
1,814
questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
51
votes
0answers
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(Approximately) bijective proof of $\zeta(2)=\pi^2/6$ ?
Given $A,B\in {\Bbb Z}^2$, write $A \leftrightarrows B$ if the
interior of the line segment AB misses
${\Bbb Z}^2$.
For $r>0$, define
$S_r:=\{ \{A, B\} | A,B\in {\Bbb Z}^2,||A||<r,||B||<r, |...
45
votes
0answers
1k views
Does every triangle-free graph with maximum degree at most 6 have a 5-colouring?
A very specific case of Reed's Conjecture
Reed's $\omega$,$\Delta$, $\chi$ conjecture proposes that every graph has $\chi \leq \lceil \tfrac 12(\Delta+1+\omega)\rceil$. Here $\chi$ is the chromatic ...
44
votes
0answers
1k views
On the first sequence without triple in arithmetic progression
In this Numberphile video (from 3:36 to 7:41), Neil Sloane explains an amazing sequence:
It is the lexicographically first among the sequences of positive integers without triple in arithmetic ...
36
votes
0answers
890 views
Is there anything to the obvious analogy between Joyal's combinatorial species and Goodwillie calculus?
Combinatorial species and calculus of functors both take the viewpoint that many interesting functors can be expanded in a kind of Taylor series. Many operations familiar from actual calculus can be ...
32
votes
0answers
1k views
3-colorings of the unit distance graph of $\Bbb R^3$
Let $\Gamma$ be the unit distance graph of $\Bbb R^3$: points $(x,y)$ form an edge if $|x,y|=1$.
Let $(A,B,C,D)$ be a unit side rhombus in the plane, with a transcendental diagonal, e.g. $A = (\...
31
votes
0answers
2k views
A Combinatorial Abstraction for The “Polynomial Hirsch Conjecture”
Consider $t$ disjoint families of subsets of {1,2,…,n}, ${\cal F}_1,{\cal F_2},\dots {\cal F_t}$ .
Suppose that
(*)
For every $i \lt j \lt k$
and every $R \in {\cal F}_i$, and $T \in {\cal F}_k$, ...
28
votes
0answers
1k views
How to prove the identity $L(2,(\frac{\cdot}3))=\frac2{15}\sum\limits_{k=1}^\infty\frac{48^k}{k(2k-1)\binom{4k}{2k}\binom{2k}k}$?
For the Dirichlet character $\chi(a)=(\frac a3)$ (which is the Legendre symbol), we have
$$L(2,\chi)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{(\frac n3)}{n^2}=0.781302412896486296867187429624\ldots.$$
Note that this ...
26
votes
0answers
756 views
A question on simultaneous conjugation of permutations
Given $a,b\in S_n$ such that their commutator has at least $n-4$ fixed points, is there an element $z\in S_n$ such that $a^z=a^{-1}$, and $b^z=b^{-1}$? Here $a^z:=z^{-1}az$.
Magma says that the ...
25
votes
0answers
1k views
Linking formulas by Euler, Pólya, Nekrasov-Okounkov
Consider the formal product
$$F(t,x,z):=\prod_{j=0}^{\infty}(1-tx^j)^{z-1}.$$
(a) If $z=2$ then on the one hand we get Euler's
$$F(t,x,2)=\sum_{n\geq0}\frac{(-1)^nx^{\binom{n}2}}{(x;x)_n}t^n,$$
on the ...
24
votes
0answers
725 views
Which sets of roots of unity give a polynomial with nonnegative coefficients?
The question in brief: When does a subset $S$ of the complex $n$th roots of unity have the property that
$$\prod_{\alpha\, \in \,S} (z-\alpha)$$
gives a polynomial in $\mathbb R[z]$ with ...
24
votes
0answers
681 views
Minimal number of intersections in a convex $n$-gon?
For a convex polygon $P$, draw all the diagonals of $P$ and consider the intersection points made by those diagonals. Let $f(n)$ be the minimal number of such intersections where $P$ ranges over all ...
24
votes
0answers
1k views
Do all possible trees arise as orbit trees of some permutation groups?
I.Motivation from descriptive set theory
(Contains some quotes from Maciej Malicki's paper.)
The classical theorem of Birkhoff-Kakutani implies that every metrizable topological group G admits a ...
23
votes
0answers
2k views
Why do polytopes pop up in Lagrange inversion?
I'd be interested in hearing people's viewpoints on this. Looking for an intuitive perspective. See Wikipedia for descriptions of polytopes and the Lagrange inversion theorem/formula (LIF) for ...
22
votes
0answers
605 views
How much of the plane is 4-colorable?
In 1981, Falconer proved that the measurable chromatic number of the plane is at least 5. That is, there are no measurable sets $A_1,A_2,A_3,A_4\subseteq\mathbb{R}^2$, each avoiding unit distances, ...
22
votes
0answers
454 views
Zero curves of Tutte Polynomials?
There is an extensive theory of the real and complex roots of the chromatic polynomial of a graph, a substantial fraction of this being due to the connections between the chromatic polynomial and a ...
22
votes
0answers
1k views
What is the best lower bound for 3-sunflowers?
A collection of $t$ sets $A_i$ is called a t-sunflower if $A_i \cap A_j = Z $ for all $i \neq j$ for some fixed $Z$. A well-known conjecture of Erdos and Rado says that there is a constant $C_t$ such ...
22
votes
0answers
730 views
Combinatorics of Quantum Schubert Polynomials
Let $S_n$ be the symmetric group. Let $s_i$ denote the adjacent transposition $(i \ i+1)$. For any permutation $w\in S_n$, an expression $w=s_{i_1}s_{i_2}\cdots s_{i_p}$ of minimal possible length is ...
22
votes
0answers
2k views
The Fourier Transform of taking Eigenvalues
The purpose of this question is to ask about the Fourier transform of the map which associate to an $n$ by $n$ matrix its $n$ eigenvalues, or some function of the $n$ eigenvalues. The main motivation ...
21
votes
0answers
433 views
Coloring a Ferrers diagram
I've shopped the problem below around a bit and it seems like it might be known, or not that hard to resolve, but so far I've come up empty-handed.
Say that a coloring of the dots of a Ferrers ...
21
votes
0answers
410 views
Is the Poset of Graphs Automorphism-free?
For $n\geq 5$, let $\mathcal {P}_n$ be the set of all isomorphism classes of graphs with n vertices. Give this set the poset structure given by $G \le H$ if and only if $G$ is a subgraph of $H$.
Is ...
21
votes
0answers
488 views
Hall's Marriage Theorem and intervals
In Hall's Marriage Theorem, we have a set $B$ of brides and $G$ of
grooms, where each bride $b$ has an acceptable set $A_b \subseteq G$
of grooms. A matching $m:B\to G$ is an injection such that $m(b)
...
21
votes
0answers
807 views
Cauchy matrices with elementary symmetric polynomials
$\newcommand{\vx}{\mathbf{x}}$
Let $e_k(\vx)$ denote the elementary symmetric polynomial, defined for $k=0,1,\ldots,n$ over a vector $\vx=(x_1,\ldots,x_n)$ by
\begin{equation*}
e_k(\vx) := \sum_{1 \...
21
votes
0answers
552 views
A combinatorial approximation functor sSet->qCat
Let $sSet_J$ denote the category of simplicial sets equipped with the Joyal model structure. Simply by the fact that $sSet_J$ is locally presentable and its class of anodynes ($\neq \mathbf{Cof} \cap ...
21
votes
0answers
2k views
Trigonometry related to Rogers--Ramanujan identities
For integers $n\ge2$ and $k\ge2$, fix the notation
$$
[m]=\sin\frac{\pi m}{nk+1} \quad\text{and}\quad
[m]!=[1][2]\dots[m], \qquad m\in\mathbb Z_{>0}.
$$
Consider the following trigonometric numbers:...
20
votes
1answer
570 views
To find a longer path with fixed endvertices in a graph satisfies the following property
Suppose that $G=(V,E)$ is a simple graph and $P=(V_1,E_1)$ is a path in $G$ where
$$V_1=\{v_0,v_1,\cdots,v_n\},\ E_1=\{v_0v_1,v_1v_2,\cdots,v_{n-1}v_n\}.$$
I found that if the path $P$ satisfies:
...
19
votes
0answers
344 views
Straight-line drawing of regular polyhedra
Find the minimum number of straight lines needed to cover a crossing-free straight-line drawing of the icosahedron $(13\dots 15)$ and of the dodecahedron $(9\dots 10)$ (in the plane).
For example, ...
19
votes
0answers
306 views
“quantum” symmetric plane partitions beget alternating sign matrices?
The "quantum" version qTSPP of the number of totally symmetric plane partitions, contained in the cube $[0,n]^3$, is enumerated by
$$f_n(q):=\prod_{j=1}^n\prod_{k=1}^j\prod_{\ell=1}^k\frac{1-q^{j+k+\...
19
votes
0answers
428 views
Simpler proofs of certain Ramsey numbers
The reason for the gorgeous simplicity of the classic proofs of $R(3,3)$, $R(4,4)$, $R(3,4)$ and $R(3,5)$ is that essentially all you need is the trivial bound and a picture.
But for bigger Ramsey ...
19
votes
0answers
692 views
A Linear Order from AP Calculus
In teaching my calculus students about limits and function domination, we ran into the class of functions
$$\Theta=\{x^\alpha (\ln{x})^\beta\}_{(\alpha,\beta)\in\mathbb{R}^2}$$
Suppose we say that $...
19
votes
0answers
2k views
Origins of the Nerve Theorem
Recently, I've read two papers which have cited the Nerve Theorem, one crediting Borsuk with the result and another Leray. Here is the question:
Who was the first to prove the Nerve Theorem?
18
votes
0answers
377 views
An algebraic strengthening of the Saturation Conjecture
The Saturation Conjecture (proved by Knutson-Tao) asserts that
$c_{n\mu,n\nu}^{n\lambda}\neq 0\Rightarrow c_{\mu,\nu}^{\lambda} \neq
0$, where $c$ denotes a Littlewood-Richardson coefficient and $n$ ...
18
votes
0answers
318 views
Deforming a basis of a polynomial ring
The ring $Symm$ of symmetric functions in infinitely many variables is well-known to be a polynomial ring in the elementary symmetric functions, and has a $\mathbb Z$-basis of Schur functions $\{S_\...
18
votes
0answers
1k views
coloring ${\mathbb Z}^k$
This question is related to but seems to be simpler than this one, so perhaps somebody can solve it.
Question. Is there $k\ge 1$ and a coloring of vertices of the lattice ${\mathbb Z}^k$ in $k$ ...
17
votes
0answers
848 views
Almost monochromatic point sets
There are many sort of equivalent theorems about monochromatic configurations in finite colorings, such as Van der Waerden, Hales-Jewett or Gallai's theorem, the latter of which states that in a ...
17
votes
0answers
584 views
Ramsey's theorem for the first uncountable ordinal
Sierpiński proved that a version of Ramsey's theorem for colourings of pairs of countable ordinals fails miserably by comparing the ordering of $\omega_1$ with the linear ordering of (a subset of) the ...
17
votes
0answers
476 views
Question about combinatorics on words
Let $\{a_1,a_2,...,a_n\}$ be an alphabet and let $\{u_1,...,u_n\}$ be words in this alphabet, and $a_i\mapsto u_i$ be a substitution $\phi$.
Question: Is there an algorithm to check if for some $m,k$...
17
votes
0answers
414 views
Need explicit formula for certain “$q$-numbers” involving gcd's
The question is motivated by yet another possible approach to a combinatorial problem formulated previously in "Special" meanders. I'm not giving details of the connection as I believe the ...
17
votes
0answers
612 views
Probability of many overlapping zero inner products on a circle
[Question edited and changed a little on June 14 2015]
Consider an $n$-dimensional vector $v$ with $v_i \in \{-1,1\}$. Now consider an $n$-dimensional vector $w$ with $w_i \in \{-1,0,1\}$. The ...
17
votes
0answers
746 views
What's the big deal about $M_{13}$?
$M_{13}$ is the Mathieu groupoid defined by Conway in
Conway, J. H. $M_{13}$. Surveys in combinatorics, 1997 (London), 1–11,
London Math. Soc. Lecture Note Ser., 241, Cambridge Univ. Press, ...
17
votes
0answers
677 views
Is there a n/2 version of the Erdős-Hanani conjecture?
This question comes out of REU research from this past summer. Unfortunately weeks of thought led to only trivial observations and the conclusion that the problem is quite hard.
Fix $k,t$. Let $F$ be ...
17
votes
0answers
767 views
Combinatorial identity involving the Coxeter numbers of root systems
The setup is:
$R$ = irreducible (reduced) root system;
$D$ = connected Dynkin diagram of $R$, with nodes numbered $1,2,...,r$;
$\hat D$ = extended Dynkin diagram, nodes numbered $0,1,2,...,r$;
$\...
16
votes
0answers
885 views
What to do with results you found but cannot prove(outside your research area)?
Not sure if MathOverflow is still a place to discuss such things, but I'll give it a try. Tell me an alternative site, in case it is wrong here. I translated a representation-theory/combinatorial ...
16
votes
0answers
471 views
Grothendieck on polyhedra over finite fields
In Grothendieck's Sketch of a Programme he spends a few pages discussing polyhedra over arbitrary rings and concludes with some intriguing remarks on specializing polyhedra over their "most singular ...
16
votes
0answers
409 views
A Product Related to Unrestricted Partitions
Start with the product for unrestricted partitions:
$(1+x+x^2+...)(1+x^2+x^4+...)(1+x^3+x^6+...)...$
Now replace some of the plus signs with minus signs and expand the product into a series. Is it ...
16
votes
0answers
410 views
Maximum automorphism group for a 3-connected cubic graph
The following arose as a side issue in a project on graph reconstruction.
Problem: Let $a(n)$ be the greatest order of the automorphism group of a 3-connected cubic graph with $n$ vertices. Find a ...
16
votes
0answers
703 views
How to explain the picturesque patterns in François Brunault's matrix?
How to explain the patterns in the matrix defined in François Brunault's
answer to the question Freeness of a Z[x] module depicted below? --
Choosing colors according to the highest power of 2 which ...
16
votes
0answers
505 views
Catalan objects associated to a univariate polynomial
Given a monic degree $n$ polynomial $f(z)$ with no double roots, and a phase $0\leq \theta < \pi$, there are natural constructions which associate to this data:
a noncrossing matching on $2n$ ...
16
votes
0answers
872 views
Polynomials with presumably positive coefficients
After seeing that some positivity problems get their solutions on MO,
I am quite enthusiastic of posing my (and not only) problem of positive flavour.
In order to state it, I have to introduce the ...
15
votes
0answers
258 views
References on Discrete field theory vs Discrete differential geometry vs Combinatorial topology
Let me ask several related questions on discretization of classical field theory:
In topological folklore, it is known that cochains are "discrete analogues" of differential forms, and coboundary ...
15
votes
0answers
292 views
Combinatorial characterization of intersecting intervals in the plane
Consider $n$ points $A=\{A_1,\dotsc,A_n\}$, and another set of points, $B=\{B_1,\dotsc,B_n\}$ in the plane. We can assume they are all disjoint.
For each permutation $\pi$, consider the collection of ...
