Nonsingularity of least common multiple matrices on gcd-closed sets (Q2566161)

Let \(S=\{x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n\}\) be a set of \(n\) positive integers. \textit{K. Bourque} and \textit{S. Ligh} [Linear Algebra Appl. 174, 65--74 (1992; Zbl 0761.15013)] conjectured that if \(S\) is gcd-closed, then the LCM matrix \(([x_i, x_j])\) is invertible. It is known that if \(n\leq 7\), then the Bourque-Ligh conjecture holds, and that for each \(n\geq 8\) there exists a set with \(n\) elements for which the Bourque-Ligh conjecture does not hold [see \textit{P. Haukkanen, J. Wang} and \textit{J. Sillanpää}, Linear Algebra Appl. 258, 251--269 (1997; Zbl 0883.15002), \textit{B.-Y. Wang}, SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl. 19, No. 4, 1040--1044 (1998; Zbl 0926.11013) and \textit{S. F. Hong}, J. Algebra 218, No. 1, 216--228 (1999; Zbl 1015.11007)]. In the present paper the author shows that each gcd-closed set whose elements have at most two distinct prime divisors satisfies the Bourque-Ligh conjecture, and conversely, for each \(r\geq 2\) there exists a gcd-closed set with an element having \(r\) distinct prime divisors such that the Bourque-Ligh conjecture does not hold. The author has proved the first part of this result also in [Acta Arith. 111, No. 2, 165--177 (2004; Zbl 1047.11022) and J. Algebra 281, No. 1, 1--14 (2004; Zbl 1064.11024)].