An extension of the direction problem

DOI10.1016/J.DISC.2012.02.021MaRDI QIDQ427875zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Marcella Takáts, Peter Sziklai

Publication date 18 June 2012

Published in Discrete Mathematics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1407.5613

zbMATH Keywords

direction problemquadrics

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Combinatorial aspects of finite geometries (05B25) Combinatorial structures in finite projective spaces (51E20)

Abstract: Let $U$ be a point set in the $n$-dimensional affine space $mAG(n,q)$ over the finite field of $q$ elements and $0leqkleqn-2$. In this paper we extend the definition of directions determined by $U$: a $k$-dimensional subspace $S_k$ at infinity is determined by $U$ if there is an affine $(k+1)$-dimensional subspace $T_{k+1}$ through $S_k$ such that $Ucap{T}_{k+1}$ spans $T_{k+1}$. We examine the extremal case $|U|=q^{n-1}$, and classify point sets NOT determining every $k$-subspace in certain cases.

Review text

Let \(AG(n,q)\) and \(PG(n,q)\) be the affine and the projective spaces of dimension \(n\) over the Galois field of \(q\) elements.NEWLINENEWLINE Let \(U\subset AG(n,q) \subset PG(n,q)\) and \(k\leq n-2\) a fixed integer. A \(k\)-dimensional subspace \(S_k \subset H_{\infty}=PG(n,q) \setminus AG(n,q)\) is determined by \(U\) if there exists a \((k+1)\)-dimensional subspace \(T_{k+1}\) such that \(T_{k+1}\cap H_{\infty}=S_{k}\) and containing at least \(k+2\) points of \(U\) in general position.NEWLINENEWLINE If \(U\) does not determine all the \(k\)-dimensional subspaces at infinity, then it is straightforward to check that \(|U|\leq q^{n-1}\).NEWLINENEWLINE In this paper the authors study the case when \(U\) reaches this bound, i.e. \(|U|=q^{n-1}\).NEWLINENEWLINE In the general case, they prove the following. Let \(U_{0}\subset AG(m,q)\subset PG(m,q)\) with \(|U_{0}|=q^{m-1}\) embedded in \(AG(n,q)\) (\(n>m\)) and let \(V\subset H_{\infty}=PG(n,q)\setminus AG(n,q)\) be a \((n-m-1)\)-dimensional subspace completely disjoint from \(PG(m,q)\). Let \(U\) be the cone with base \(U_{0}\) and vertex \(V\). An \(r\)-dimensional subspace \(W\subset H_{\infty}\) is not determined by \(U\) if and only if \(W_{0}=PG(m,q)\cap \langle V,W\rangle\) is not determined by \(U_0\).NEWLINENEWLINE In three dimensional case the authors classify all the affine sets \(U\) which do not determine all the lines in \(H_{\infty}\): these sets can only contain lines in parallel affine planes or \(q\) parallel lines or they are part of a hyperbolic quadric.NEWLINENEWLINE In the paper it is also proven that, in general, if \(U\) is the affine part of a non-singular quadric for which \(H_{\infty}\) is a tangent hyperplane, then the undetermined \(g\)-dimensional subspaces in \(H_{\infty}\), where \(g\) is the projective index of the quadric, are the generators contained in the intersection of the quadric and \(H_{\infty}\), except few cases with \(q=2\).

Recommendations

• On the directions problem in AG(n,q)
• On the structure of the directions not determined by a large affine point set
• On the number of directions determined by a set of points in an affine Galois plane
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 4060210
• The number of directions determined by less than q points

Cites work

• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 53569 (Why is no real title available?)
• Linear point sets and Rédei type \(k\)-blocking sets in \(\mathrm{PG}(n,q)\)
• On the number of slopes of the graph of a function defined on a finite field
• The number of directions determined by a function over a finite field.

Cited in

(9)

• Asymptotic questions in Galois geometries
• On the number of directions determined by a set of points in an affine Galois plane
• The distance orientation problem
• A matter of direction
• On rich and poor directions determined by a subset of a finite plane
• On the structure of the directions not determined by a large affine point set
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 4060210 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 6872713 (Why is no real title available?)
• A different class of homing problems

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