The cardinality of sets of \(k\)-independent vectors over finite fields (Q2385075)

A set of vectors of length \(n\) over the finite field of \(q\) elements is called \(k\)-independent if all its subsets of \(k\) elements are linearly independent. Denote by Ind\(_q(n,k)\) the maximal possible size of a \(k\)-independent set. In the paper under review, the authors generalize their previous result by proving that Ind\(_q(n,k)=k+1\) if and only if \(q(n+1) \leq k(q+1)\). This condition seems to promise interesting applications.