Extending MDS codes (Q2576461)

An MDS code over an alphabet of size \(q\) is a set of length \(n\) vectors with \(q^k\) elements where the minimum distance \(d\) satisfies \(d=n-k+1.\) Any MDS code satisfies the bound \(n \leq q+k-1.\) If equality is met in this bound the code is said to be of maximal length. The author uses the connection of MDS codes to Latin squares and Latin hypercubes to construct a combinatorial argument to show when MDS codes can be extended to a longer MDS code. In particular he shows that an MDS code with \(n=q+k-2\) can be uniquely extended to a maximum length code if and only if \(q\) is even. Additionally, the author gives a necessary and sufficient condition for MDS codes to be extended using the geometry of the related combinatorial structure.