Reconstructing a set from its subset sums: 2-torsion-free groups

Abstract: For a finite multiset

A

of an abelian group

G

, let

e x t F S (A)

denote the multiset of the

2^{| A |}

subset sums of

A

. It is natural to ask to what extent

A

can be reconstructed from

e x t F S (A)

. We fully solve this problem for

2

-torsion-free groups

G

by giving characterizations, both algebraic and combinatorial, of the fibers of

e x t F S

. Equivalently, we characterize all pairs of multisets

A, B

with

e x t F S (A) = e x t F S (B)

. Our results build on recent work of Ciprietti and the first author.

This page was built for publication: Reconstructing a set from its subset sums: $2$-torsion-free groups