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8 votes
1 answer
531 views

How large can the dimension of a 'Span of powers of a finite field basis' be?

Let $p$ be a prime. For finite field $\mathbb{F}_{p^k}$ and $d\in\mathbb{Z}^+$, I am considering the following quantity, where we interpret the field $\mathbb{F}_{p^k}$ also as a $\mathbb{F}_p$-vector ...
4 votes
0 answers
108 views

Differential duality: Triangular codes vs. VT codes / Single-substitution vs. Single-deletion

Here is the introduction to my problem: Codes correcting single-deletion. Let $q$ and $n$ be non-negative integers, and let $\mathbf{x}= \left ( x_{1}, x_{2}, \ldots, x_{n} \right )\in\mathbb{Z}_{q}^{...
0 votes
0 answers
80 views

Solution modulo $9$ of certain linear equation implies triviality modulo $3$

Question: Let $k \geq 2$ and $r \geq 4$ be two natural numbers. We are given eight integers $\nu_{ij} \geq 0$ for every $1 \leq i \leq k$ and $1 \leq j \leq r$ such that the following two conditions ...
11 votes
2 answers
387 views

Bounds for the difference in the number of ones in $M$ and $M^{-1}$

If $M$ is a full rank $n$ by $n$ binary matrix over $\mathbb{F}_2$, how much larger or smaller can the number of $1$s in $M^{-1}$ be, compared to the number of $1$s in $M$? Clearly the identity matrix ...
3 votes
2 answers
303 views

Asymptotics of A000613

The general linear group $GL_n(\mathbb{F}_2)$ acts on the powerset $2^{{\mathbb{F}_2}^n \setminus \{0\}}$ by multiplication: $A \cdot S := \{Ax \in {\mathbb{F}_2}^n : \, x \in S\}$, for an invertible ...
2 votes
1 answer
262 views

Randomly fixing elements and transcendence degree

Given $f_1,\ldots,f_n \in \mathbb{F}_q[x_1,\ldots,x_m]$ such that $\deg(f_i) \leq d < q$. Suppose we have for some $1 \leq j \leq m$ $$ \operatorname{trdeg}_{\mathbb{F}(x_1,\ldots,x_j)}\{f_1,\ldots,...
2 votes
0 answers
187 views

Matrix with elementary symmetric polynomials as entries

Let $n\geq 1$, and for each $j=1,\ldots, n+1$ let $\mathbf{X}_{j}=(X_{j1},\ldots, X_{jn})$ be $n$ variables. Let $M$ be the $(n+1)\times (n+1)$ matrix whose $(i,j)$-th entry is $$M_{ij}=(-1)^i e_{i-1}(...
0 votes
0 answers
53 views

A question on bounding the size of the polynomial

Suppose we are given the following n polynomials in $\bar{\mathbb{F}}_2[x_1,...,x_n]$: $f_1 = x_1 + x_n^2$ $f_2 = x_2 + x_1^2$ $\cdot$ $\cdot$ $f_{n-3} = x_{n-3} + x_{n-4}^2$ $f_{n-2} = x_{n-2} + x_{n-...
13 votes
0 answers
188 views

Why is $ULU=NU$ (a refinement of $|N|=q^{n^2-n}$)?

Let $G=GL_n(\mathbb{F}_q)$, $U$, $L$, $N$ the subsets of upper-triangular unipotent, lower-triangular unipotent, all unipotent matrices respectively. Then $ULU=NU$ means that for any $g\in G$ the ...
5 votes
2 answers
139 views

Sets blocking every $2$-flat in $AG(n,2)$

The following may be well-known $-$ but not known to me: What is the smallest possible size of a set in ${\mathbb F}_2^n$ that blocks every $2$-flat? Here "blocks" means "have a non-empty ...
2 votes
1 answer
119 views

Asymptotic size of largest subset in $\mathbb F_p^2$ defining only lines of different slopes

Suppose that all lines defined by pairs of distinct elements in a subset of $\mathbb F_p^2$ have different slopes. How large can such a subset be asymptotically (for primes $p\rightarrow \infty$)? ...
0 votes
1 answer
189 views

Constructing a family of $3$-wise independence functions from $\mathbb{Z}_p^n \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}_p$

A family of function hash functions $\mathcal{H}:\{h:N\rightarrow M\}$ is call $k$-wise independent if whenenver $h$ is drawn uniformly from $\mathcal{H}$, let $x_1,\ldots,x_k$ be distinct elements of ...
0 votes
1 answer
146 views

Does the Plotkin bound mean that one can not achieve the Singleton bound asymptotically?

I am a little confused with the relationship between various bounds for error correcting codes. Does the Plotkin bound mean that one can not achieve the Singleton bound asymptotically? That is, is ...
1 vote
0 answers
71 views

Bias of $a^k / q$ modulo $q$?

Let $q$ be a prime. Let $0< a < q$ be an integer so that it is primitive modulo $q$. Let $k$ be a random integer up to $q-1$. Consider $$a^k = b_k + q * c_k$$ as $k$ varies modulo $q^2$. So $b_k$...
1 vote
0 answers
91 views

Functions that take quadratic residues to non quadratic residues

Let $p$ be prime and $Q$ be the set of integers $x$ mod $p$ so that $x^2-1$ is a quadratic residue. Let $Q^c$ be the complement of $Q$. If we don't consider $x = 1$ then these two sets have the same ...
4 votes
0 answers
263 views

Cosine Modulo $p$?

Consider the integers modulo a prime $p$. I'm looking for a nice polynomial function that acts as a sort of "cosine" on the integers modulo $p$. Specifically, I'm looking for solutions to ...
1 vote
1 answer
133 views

Constant term of a power modulo a polynomial

I'm interested in the constant term of $$(x+k)^m \in F_p[x]$$ modulo a polynomial $q(x)$ over the field $F_p$. The polynomial $q(x)$ is relatively simple in practice, take $q(x) = x^6 -2x^3+3$, for an ...
1 vote
1 answer
333 views

Szemerédi–Trotter type theorem in finite field

This question is about the content of this paper by J. Bourgain, N. Katz, T. Tao. In the final step (page 18) of the proof of Szemerédi-Trotter type theorem, we have already known $$|A''+A''|\lesssim ...
2 votes
0 answers
162 views

Determining the multiple solutions for $\mathrm{GF}(2)$ discrete logarithms of polynomials with partially known coefficients

I have an LFSR, essentially $x^k \bmod p(x)$ for some characteristic primitive polynomial of degree $N$ with coefficients in $\mathrm{GF}(2)$, as outlined in Clark and Weng's article: it has a period $...
1 vote
0 answers
162 views

Number of full-rank binary matrices with given column Hamming weights [closed]

What is the number of $m \times n$ matrices over $\mbox{GF}(2)$ that share the following constraints : They have full rank ($\mbox{rank} = m$, given that $m<n$). Their columns have the given ...
2 votes
1 answer
612 views

Inner product over finite field

sorry for informals but is my first post. In Coding theory (exactly in Coding theory a first course - San ling and Chaoping) found this definition: $\langle , \rangle :\mathbb{F}_q^n\times\mathbb{F}_q^...
3 votes
0 answers
293 views

Approximate versions of Segre's Theorem

Consider projective $2$-space over a finite field of odd prime characteristic $p$. We say a set of points, $A$, in this space is an arc if any line meets it in at most two points. We say that an arc ...
2 votes
1 answer
185 views

How many ways are there to pick $n$ points on the finite affine plane $(\Bbb F_q)^2$ such that no three are collinear?

How many ways are there to pick $n$ points on the finite affine plane $(\Bbb F_q)^2$ such that no three are collinear? For example, how many ways can we pick $5$ points on $\Bbb F_{32}\times\Bbb F_{32}...
4 votes
1 answer
561 views

Why should it be hard to generalize Dvir's proof of the finite field Kakeya conjecture to the Euclidean case?

Let $q$ be prime and let $q\delta \sim 1.$ Let $K$ be any set of $C_n\delta$-separated tubes in $B(0,2)$, where $C_n$ is some constant depending on $n$. Let us consider a grid of $q^n$ points scaled ...
4 votes
1 answer
237 views

Intersection of the general linear group $\text{GL}_n(\mathbb{F}_q)$ and an affine subspace over a finite field

Let $\mathbb{F}_q$ be a finite field of $q$ elements, let $\text{M}_n(\mathbb{F}_q)$ be the vector space of $n \times n$ matrices over $\mathbb{F}_q$, let $\text{GL}_n(\mathbb{F}_q)$ be the group of $...
6 votes
0 answers
314 views

Number of square-free polynomials over a finite field - a combinatorial interpretation?

Cross-posted from MSE. The question has remained unanswered for six years but I still like it! One can show using zeta functions that the number of (monic)square-free polynomials of degree $n$ over a ...
1 vote
0 answers
84 views

Constructing k-wise independent variables over a general set

We have seen in class a polynomials based construction that builds in $O(n^k)$ time, $n$ random variables, $k$-wise independent, over a field with $n$ elements. More specifically, you generate all the ...
1 vote
0 answers
130 views

Maximal subsets of affine or projective space with no three collinear points

Let ${\mathbb A}^n_q$ and ${\mathbb P}^n_q$ be affine and projective spaces of dimension $n$ over a field of order $q$. Say that a subset of either ${\mathbb A}^n_q$ or ${\mathbb P}^n_q$ is generic if ...
4 votes
0 answers
104 views

Visiting zero-sum triples in a vector space

Is it true that for any set $A\subset\mathbb F_5^n$ satisfying $A\cap(-A)=\varnothing$, there is a subset $A'\subseteq A$ such any triple $(a,b,c)\in A\times A\times A$ with $a+b+c=0$ has exactly one ...
4 votes
1 answer
266 views

Can we explicitly compute this "shift"-quantity over Boolean functions $u:\mathbb{F}_2^n\rightarrow \mathbb{F}_2$?

This question is a follow-up of this question. Let $\mathbb{F}_2=\{0,1\}$ be the field with two elements, and suppose that $n$ is odd. Question: Can we compute the exact minimum $$A:= \min_{u:\mathbb{...
1 vote
1 answer
391 views

System of equations - Proof that a solution exists

Let $ a = (a_1,a_2, \ldots,a_{10})\in \{ 0,1\}^{10}$ be a binary vector of length $10$. Question: Without using a computer-aided method, how to prove that there exists binary vectors $x_{i,j} \in \{ ...
1 vote
0 answers
150 views

Counting non-zero Gramians of Grassmanians over finite field

In case of $\mathbb{F}_{2}$, we can obtain the number of all reduced row echelon forms (so called Grassmannians) for some m$\times$n full rank matrices by the following gaussian polynomial, $$ \binom{...
0 votes
0 answers
99 views

Invertible matrices with bounded nonnegative coefficients

I am teaching a class in linear algebra and I asked myself the following question: what is the chance to get an invertible matrix if I write a random one? My impulsive answer is "very likely"...
22 votes
1 answer
970 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 ...
4 votes
1 answer
212 views

Order of a rational function on $\mathbb{F}_p$

Let $a$ be an element of $\mathbb{F}_p$, which is not a quadratic residue. Define $$f(x) = \frac{x + a}{x+1},$$ which is a rational function on $\mathbb{F}_p$. In fact, if we set $f(-1)=\infty$ and $f(...
10 votes
2 answers
882 views

The maximal subset of a finite field where the sum of any subset is non-zero

Given a finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$ with $q=p^m$ where $p$ is the characteristic. For any subset $S=\{a_1,\dots,a_n\}$ of $\mathbb{F}_q$, if any partial sum (i.e. the sum of elements in a non-empty ...
9 votes
1 answer
425 views

Are there functions $\mathbb{F}_2^n \to \mathbb{F}_2$ satisfying these special relations?

Let $\mathbb{F}_2=\{0,1\}$ be the field with two elements, and let $u:\mathbb{F}_2^n\rightarrow \mathbb{F}_2$. Suppose that $n$ is odd. Is it possible that $$ \sum_{x \in \mathbb{F}_2^n}(-1)^{u(x)+u(...
23 votes
4 answers
3k views

Exhibit an explicit bijection between irreducible polynomials over finite fields and Lyndon words.

Let $q$ be a power of a prime. It's well-known that the function $B(n, q) = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{d | n} \mu \left( \frac{n}{d} \right) q^d$ counts both the number of irreducible polynomials of degree $n$...
1 vote
1 answer
153 views

Schur complement and depermuting an algorithm for $\mathsf{determinant}\bmod2$

Let $$M=\begin{bmatrix}A&B\\C&D\end{bmatrix}$$ be a matrix in $\mathbb F_2^{n\times n}$ where $A\in\mathbb F_2$ and $D\in\mathbb F_2^{(n-1)\times(n-1)}$ are square. Through the determinant ...
2 votes
0 answers
203 views

Can the relation between count of commuting pairs and conjugacy classes for finite groups be generalized to semigroups?

It is well-known that number of pairs of commuting elements in finite group G is equal to number of conjugacy classes multiplied by cardinality of G. More generally here (MO275769) Qiaochu Yuan ...
0 votes
0 answers
54 views

Rank decomposition of matrices over $\mathbb F_2$

Given an integer matrix $M\in\mathbb Z^{n\times n}$ of real rank $k$ what is the minimum and maximum number of rank $1$ matrices $B_1$ to $B_t$ we require so that $M\equiv\sum_{i=1}^tB_i\bmod 2$? If $...
2 votes
0 answers
100 views

Sum of binary quadratic forms over inputs of equal Hamming weight

$\DeclareMathOperator{\field}{\mathbb{F}}$ Let $n$ be a positive integer, and let $q : \field_2^{n} \rightarrow \field_2$ be a quadratic form, specified in coordinates as $$q(x)=\sum_{i =1}^n \alpha_i ...
7 votes
2 answers
440 views

How to count the number of tensors over a finite field of tensor rank $r$?

For simplicity, work over $\mathbb F_2$ and only consider order-$3$ equilateral tensors. For $r\in\mathbb Z_{>0}$, how many tensors $\mathfrak{T}\in\mathsf{Ten}_{n}^{\otimes 3}(\mathbb F_2)$ are ...
2 votes
0 answers
157 views

On hypergeometric functions over finite fields

Let $\mathbb{F}_q$ be a finite field of $q$ elements. Let $A,B,C,\cdots$ denote the multiplicative characters over $\mathbb{F}_q$, and let $\overline{A}$ denote the inverse of $A$, i.e., $A(x)\...
2 votes
1 answer
217 views

Low-Hamming weight vectors in low-dimensional subspaces of $\mathbb{F}_p^n$

What is the maximum number vectors of Hamming weight at most $w$ in a $d$-dimensional subspace of $\mathbb{F}_p^n$, where $w,d,p$ are constant and $p$ is odd. (The Hamming weight is the number of ...
4 votes
1 answer
317 views

On the real and finite field rank of a $0/1$ matrix - I

Let $M\in\{-1,0,+1\}^{n\times n}$ be a matrix of rank $r$. Consider the matrix $f(M)\in\{0,+1\}^{mn\times mn}$ where $0$ in $M$ is replaced by $m\times m$ all $0$ matrix, $+1$ in $M$ is replaced by $m\...
1 vote
0 answers
88 views

On the real and finite field rank of a $0/1$ matrix - II

Let $M\in\{-\ell,\dots,-1,0,+1,\dots,+\ell\}^{n\times n}$ be a matrix of rank $r$ where $\ell\geq1$ such that there is a permutation matrix in $\{0,1\}^{m\times m}$ of order $2\ell$. Fix a permutation ...
7 votes
2 answers
589 views

On a matrix problem in the field $\mathbb F_2$

Given $M$ a symmetric matrix in $\mathbb F_2^{n\times n}$ having $\mathsf{det}_\mathbb R(M)\neq0$ (non-singular in reals) and satisfying $PMP'=(M+J+I)$ or $P(M+J+I)P'=M$ where $P$ is a permutation ...
1 vote
0 answers
96 views

Polynomial composition utilizing polynomials in two different finite fields

At every $n\in\mathbb N$ (all polynomials are of degree $O(1)$) is there $g_{3,1}^{(n)},\dots,g_{3,k}^{(n)}\in\mathbb F_3[x_1,\dots,x_n]$ at $k=\mathsf{poly}(n)$ and $g_2^{(n)}\in\mathbb F_2[x_1,\dots,...
4 votes
1 answer
273 views

Dominating sets in subtournaments of the Paley tournament

For a tournament $T$, let $\mathrm{dom}(T)$ be the order of a smallest dominating set in $T$. Let $q$ be a prime power congruent to 3 mod 4 and let $T_q$ be the Paley tournament on $q$ vertices. Is ...