An uncertainty inequality and zero subsums (Q753853)

For a finite abelian group G, let s(G) denote the maximal s for which there exists a sequence \(a_ 1,...,a_ s\in G\) such that \(\sum_{i\in I}a_ i\neq 0\) for all \(\emptyset \neq I\subset \{1,...,s\}\). After proving an inequality for the finite Fourier transform, the author proves that \[ s(G)\leq m(1+lg\frac{| G|}{m}), \] where m denotes the maximal order of elements in G. \{The author notes that using another method the same result was independently proved by P. van Emde Boas and D. Kruyswijk.\}