Partial triple systems and edge colourings (Q1109776)

A partial triple system of order v, PT(v), is a pair (V,B) where V is a v-set, and B is a collection of 3-subsets of V (called triples) such that each 2-subset of V is contained in at most one triple. A maximum partial triple system of order v, MPT(v), is a PT(v), (V,B), such that for any other PT(v), (V,C), we have \(| C| \leq | B|\). Several authors have considered the problem of embedding PT(v) and MPT(v) in systems of higher order. We complete the proof, begun by Mendelsohn and Rosa, that an MPT(u) can be embedded in an MPT(v) where v is the smallest value in each congruence class mod 6 with \(v\geq 2u\). We also consider a general problem concerning transversals of minimum edge-colourings of the complete graph.