The residuals of lex plus powers ideals and the Eisenbud-Green-Harris conjecture (Q2654683)

Let \(R = k[x_1,\dots,x_n]\), where \(k\) is a field. The Hilbert functions of algebras \(R/I\), where \(I\) is a homogeneous ideal, were characterized by Macaulay. He showed in particular that for a fixed such Hilbert function \(H\), the corresponding lex-segment ideal has the greatest number of minimal generators, i.e. it has the largest first graded Betti numbers, among all ideals defining algebras with Hilbert function \(H\). Among all such algebras, it was shown by \textit{A. M. Bigatti} [Commun. Algebra 21, No. 7, 2317--2334 (1993; Zbl 0817.13007)] and \textit{H. A. Hulett} [Commun. Algebra 21, No. 7, 2335--2350 (1993; Zbl 0817.13006) (in characteristic zero) and by \textit{K. Pardue}, Ill. J. Math. 40, No. 4, 564--585 (1996; Zbl 0903.13004)] (in arbitrary characteristic) that the lex segment ideal gives the algebra with largest graded Betti numbers (not just first graded Betti numbers). A very interesting extension of this chain of ideas was proposed by Eisenbud, Green and Harris. First fix a list \(\mathbb A = (a_1,\dots,a_n)\) of positive integers with \(a_1 \leq \dots \leq a_n\). We now restrict to those \(H\) for which there exists a lex-segment ideal containing the regular sequence \((x_1^{a_1},\dots,x_n^{a_n})\), whose quotient has Hilbert function \(H\); call this an \(\mathbb A\)-lex plus powers ideal. The Eisenbud-Green-Harris conjecture says that as long as there is an \(\mathbb A\)-lex plus powers ideal attaining \(H\), then among all algebras with Hilbert function \(H\) defined by ideals that contain a regular sequence of type \(\mathbb A\), the \(\mathbb A\)-lex plus powers ideal has the largest first Betti numbers. Charalambous and Evans [Private correspondence (2003)] extended this conjecture to say that the \(\mathbb A\)-lex plus powers ideal has the largest graded Betti numbers (not just first graded Betti numbers) among all such algebras. This paper strikes an intermediate path: the authors show that the Eisenbud-Green-Harris conjecture is equivalent to showing that \(\mathbb A\)-lex plus power ideals have the largest \textit{last} graded Betti numbers. The method is via linkage, together with a construction analogous to the \(n\)-type vectors introduced by \textit{A. V. Geramita, T. Harima} and \textit{Y. S. Shin} [Ill. J. Math. 45, No.~1, 1--23 (2001; Zbl 1095.13500)]. One direction of the equivalence was shown earlier by the first author [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 186, No. 2, 169--183 (2004; Zbl 1052.13008)], and this paper proves the converse.