Length computation of matrix subalgebras of special type. (Q2519220)

Let \(A\) be a finite-dimensional algebra over a field \(F\). For each set \(S\subseteq A\) which generates \(A\) as an \(F\)-algebra, define \(l(S)\) to be the least integer \(h\geq 0\) such that there is an \(F\)-basis of \(A\) consisting of words of length \(\leq h\) in \(S\). The `length' \(l(A)\) of \(A\) is the maximum of \(l(S)\) over all finite generating sets \(S\). In general the length of a subalgebra of \(A\) can be larger than the length of \(A\). If \(A\) is the full matrix algebra \(M_n(F)\), then it is known that \(l(M_n(F))=O(n^{3/2})\) and it is conjectured that \(l(M_n(F))=2n-2\) [see \textit{C. J. Pappacena}, J. Algebra 197, No. 2, 535-545 (1997; Zbl 0888.16008) and \textit{A. Paz}, Linear Multilinear Algebra 15, 161-170 (1984; Zbl 0536.15007)]. In the present paper the author gives short proofs that the conjecture holds for \(n=2\) and \(3\), and computes the lengths of various classes of subalgebras of \(M_n(F)\).