Reducibility number (Q2384391)

The reducibility number of a poset \(P\) in a class \(\mathcal{P}\) of posets is defined as the smallest positive integer \(r\) with the property that there exists a non-empty subset \(S\) of \(P\) such that \(\left| S\right| =r\) and \( P\backslash S\in \mathcal{P}.\) In this paper the reducibility numbers for the power set \(2^{n}\) of an \(n\)-set \((n\geq 2)\) with respect to the classes of distributive lattices, modular lattices and Boolean lattices are calculated. Also, it is shown that the reducibility number \(r\) of the lattice of all subgroups of a finite group \(G\) with respect to the class of all distributive lattices is \(1\) if and only if the order of \(G\) has at most two distinct prime divisors; further, if \(r\) is a prime number, then the order of \(G\) is divisible by exactly three distinct primes. The class of pseudo-complemented \(u\)-posets is shown to be reducible. Deletable elements in semidistributive posets are characterized.