Bounding the degrees of generators of a homogeneous dimension 2 toric ideal (Q1396462)

Let \(I\) be the toric ideal defined by a \(2\times n\)-matrix of integers, \(A= ((1,1,\dots, 1)(a_1, a_2\dots, a_n))\) with \(a_1< a_2<\dots< a_n\). Such ideals are the homogeneous ideals of monomial curves in projective space. We prove that \(I\) is generated by elements of degree at most the sum of the two largest differences \(a_i- a_{i-1}\). This was already shown by \textit{S. L'vovsky} [Math. Ann. 306, 719-735 (1996; Zbl 0857.14031)] using cohomological arguments that this sum bounds the regularity of \(I\), from which our result follows as an immediate corollary. The novelty of this paper is in the method of proof, which is combinatorial.