On the smallest number of generators and the probability of generating an algebra (Q442423)

Let \(R\) be an order in \(K\), an extension of degree \(d\) of the rationals, and let \(\omega_1,\dots,\omega_d\) be an integral basis of \(R\). For positive \(N\) let \(R(N)=\{\sum_{i=1}^dx_j\omega_j:\;x_j\in Z,\;|x_j|\leq N\}\). The authors show that if \(f_1,\dots,f_s\) are polynomials in \(n\) variables over \(R\), and \(S\) denotes the set of \({\mathbf x}\in R^n\) such that the set \(\{f_i({\mathbf x}):\;i=1,2,\dots,s\}\) generates the unit ideal, then \[ \lim_{N\to\infty}{\#(S\cap R(N))\over (2N+1)^{dn}}=\prod_M\left(1-{t_M\over N(M)^n}\right), \] where \(M\) runs over all maximal ideals of \(R\), and \(t_M\) is the number of common zeros of \(f_i \bmod M\). This result is used to establish the following assertion on sets generating an \(R\)-algebra. Let \(A\) be an \(R\)-algebra which is free of finite rank \(m\) as an \(R\)-module. If \(e_1,\dots,e_m\) is an \(R\)-basis of \(A\), then the set \(\{e_i\omega_j\}\) forms a \(Z\)-basis of \(A\). For positive integers \(N\) let \(A(N)\) be the set of elements of \(A\) whose all coefficients in that basis lie in the interval \([-N,N]\). Moreover let \(Gen_k(A)\) be the set of all \(k\)-element generators of \(A\) as an \(R\)-algebra. The authors define the density of the family of these sets by \[ \text{den}_k(A)=\lim_{N\to\infty}{(\# Gen_k(A)\cap A(N)^k)\over\#A(N)}, \] and show that this limit exists and can be expressed as the product of the analogously defined local densities. This is used to answer a question of Kapovich, asking for the probability that \(k\) elements chosen at random generate the group \(Z^n\). This probability turned out to be equal to the product \[ \prod_{m=k-n+1}^k{1\over\zeta(m)}, \] \(\zeta(s)\) being Riemann's zeta-function. The authors provide also several other applications, dealing with the smallest numbers of generators of \(R\)-algebras, generating sets of matrix algebras over finite fields and of generating sets of finite products of matrix algebras over rings of algebraic integers.