Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-sxzjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T05:09:25.649Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Comments on bases in dependence structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 April 2009

Richard A. Brualdi
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Dependence structures (in the finite case, matroids) arise when one tries to abstract the properties of linear dependence of vectors in a vector space. With the help of a theorem due to P. Hall and M. Hall, Jr concerning systems of distinct representatives of families of finite sets, it is proved that if B1 and B2 are bases of a dependence structure, then there is an injection σ: B1B2 such that (B2 / {σ(e)}) ∩ {e} is a basis for all e in B1. A corollary is the theorem of R. Rado that all bases have the same cardinal number. In particular, it applies to bases of a vector space. Also proved is the fact that if B1 and B2 are bases of a dependence structure then given e in B1 there is an f in B2 such that both (B1 / {e}) ∩ {f} and (B2 / {f}) ∩ {e} are bases. This is a symmetrical kind of replacement theorem.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Mathematical Society 1969

References

[1]Hall, P., “On representatives of subsets”, J. London Math. Soc. 10 (1935), 2630.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[2]Hall, Marshall Jr, “Distinct representatives of subsets”, Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 54 (1908), 922926.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[3]Whitney, Hassler, “On the abstract properties of linear dependence”, Amer. J. Math. 57 (1935), 509533.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[4]Tutte, W.T., “Introduction to the theory of matroids”, Rand Corporation Research Report R-448-PR (1966), Santa Monica, Calif.Google Scholar
[5]Asche, D.S., “Minimal dependent sets”, J. Austral. Math. Soc. 6 (1966), 259262.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[6]Rado, R., “Axiomatic treatment of rank in infinite sets”, Canad. J. Math. 1 (1949), 337343.CrossRefGoogle Scholar