Bounds for counter-examples to addition theorems in solvable groups (Q1112171)

Let G be a group. By a set of elements of G one means in this paper a sequence of elements of G (therefore, a set of elements of G may contain more than \(| G|\) elements of G). If S is a set of elements of G, an n-sum in S is an ordered subset of S of cardinality n. The result of such an n-sum is the product of its elements in the specified order. Let \(| G| =n\) and let S be a set of elements of G; S is said to be identity summable if S contains an n-sum of result 1. G is said to satisfy the sum condition for a positive integer r if every set of 2n-r elements of G is identity summable. \textit{P. Erdős}, \textit{A. Ginsburg} and \textit{A. Ziv} [Bull. Res. Council Isr. 10, 41-43 (1961)] proved that if G is a solvable finite group, then G satisfies the sum condition for 1. On the other hand, a solvable group G does not satisfy the sum condition for 2 iff G is cyclic. The main result of this paper is the following: fix a positive integer r. Then there are only finitely many solvable non-cyclic finite groups G such that G does not satisfy the sum condition for r. The argument, which is quite technical, relies on the fact (proved by induction) that the cardinality of the largest solvable non-cyclic group does not satisfy the sum condition for r is finite.