Addition theorems and group rings (Q5961539)

The paper addresses combinatorial problems on finite Abelian groups \(G\) (written multiplicatively). An additive basis of \(G\) is a finite sequence \(S\) of elements in \(G\) such that every element of \(G\) is a product of a finite subsequence of elements of \(S\). If \(G=Z(p^a)\oplus\dots\oplus Z(p^w)\), \(1\leq a\leq\dots\leq w\), then a linear basis of \(G\) is a finite subset \(x_1,\dots,x_n\), such that \(G=\langle x_1\rangle\oplus\dots\oplus\langle x_n\rangle\). \(f(G)\) denotes the minimal integer \(t\) such that, for any linear bases \(B_1,\dots,B_t\) of \(G\), the (possibly repetitious) union \(\bigcup^t_1B_i\) forms an additive basis \(G\). The results are: Let \(G=Z(p^{e_1})\oplus\dots\oplus Z(p^{e_n})\), \(1\leq a\leq\dots\leq w\). 1) If \(w=(1/(p^{e_n}-1))\sum^n_{i=1}(p^{e_i}-1)\), then \(f(G)\leq(p^{e_n}-1)\log w+p^{e_n}-2\). 2) If \(S\) is a finite sequence of elements in \(G\) such that each subsequence of \(|S|-\sum^n_{i=1}(p^{e_i}-1)\) terms of \(S\) generates \(G\), then \(S\) is and additive basis of \(G\). 3) Let \(G\) be a finite Abelian group of order \(n\), and exponent \(m\), and \(S\) a sequence of elements in \(G\). Then \(S\) is an additive basis of \(G\) if each subsequence of \(t\geq|S|-m(1+\log n/\log m)+1\) terms of \(S\) generates \(G\). The author uses a group ring as a tool to prove these results.