Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: Robert Coulter, Dept. of Mathematical Sciences. Includes bibliographical references.

In this dissertation we treat three tiling problems and three problems in combinatorial geometry, extremal graph theory and sparse Ramsey theory. We first consider tilings of $\mathbb{Z}^n$. In this setting a tile $T$ is just a finite subset of $\mathbb{Z}^n$. We say that $T$ tiles $\mathbb{Z}^n$ if the latter set admits a partition into isometric copies of $T$. Chalcraft observed that there exist $T$ that do not tile $\mathbb{Z}^n$ but tile $\mathbb{Z}^{d}$ for some $d > n$. He conjectured that such $d$ exists for any given tile. We prove this conjecture in Chapter 2. In Chapter 3 we prove a conjecture of Lonc, stating that for any poset $P$ of size a power of $2$, if $P$ has a greatest and a least element, then there is a positive integer $k$ such that $[2]^k$ can be partitioned into copies of $P$. The third tiling problem is about vertex-partitions of the hypercube graph $Q_n$. Offner asked: if $G$ is a subgraph of $Q_n$ such $|G|$ is a power of $2$, must $V(Q_d)$, for some $d$, admit a partition into isomorphic copies of $G$? In Chapter 4 we answer this question in the affirmative. We follow up with a question in combinatorial geometry. A line in a planar set $P$ is a maximal collinear subset of $P$. P\'or and Wood considered colourings of finite $P$ without large lines with a bounded number of colours. In particular, they examined whether monochromatic lines always appear in such colourings provided that $|P|$ is large. They conjectured that for all $k,l \ge 2$ there exists an $n \ge 2$ such that if $|P| \ge n$ and $P$ does not contain a line of cardinality larger than $l$, then every colouring of $P$ with $k$ colours produces a monochromatic line. In Chapter 5 we construct arbitrarily large counterexamples for the case $k=l=3$. We follow up with a problem in extremal graph theory. For any graph, we say that a given edge is triangular if it forms a triangle with two other edges. How few triangular edges can there be in a graph with $n$ vertices and $m$ edges? For sufficiently large $n$ we prove a conjecture of F\"uredi and Maleki that gives an exact formula for this minimum. This proof is given in Chapter 6. Finally, Chapter 7 is concerned with degrees of vertices in directed hypergraphs. One way to prescribe an orientation to an $r$-uniform graph $H$ is to assign for each of its edges one of the $r!$ possible orderings of its elements. Then, for any $p$-set of vertices $A$ and any $p$-set of indices $I \subset [r]$, we define the $I$-degree of $A$ to be the number of edges containing vertices $A$ in precisely the positions labelled by $I$. Caro and Hansberg were interested in determining whether a given $r$-uniform hypergraph admits an orientation where every set of $p$ vertices has some $I$-degree equal to $0$. They conjectured that a certain Hall-type condition is sufficient. We show that this is true for $r$ large, but false in general.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O objetivo central deste projeto é precisar matematicamente certos objetos combinatórios que servem como ponto de partida nas apresentações usuais da Análise Combinatória e são comumente apresentados de maneira informal e intuitiva. Estabelecido este referencial teórico preciso, pretendemos, a partir dele, reapresentar os conceitos de Análise Combinatória de modo mais rigoroso privilegiando sempre a apresentação mais natural possível. Mais precisamente, estaremos interessados em reapresentar os resultados referentes ao capítulo dois do livro do professor Augusto C. Morgado a partir de uma versão matematicamente mais precisa dos Princípios Aditivo e Multiplicativo. Além disso, pretendemos que os argumentos usados em nossas deduções usem predominantemente indução ou construção de bijeções, o que é um dos grandes objetos de estudo da combinatória moderna

Esta dissertação descreve um jogo de baralho com caráter pedagógico, Resto Zero, o qual apresenta forte ligação com probabilidade, divisibilidade, análise combinatória e operações aritméticas elementares. Especificamente calculamos a probabilidade de alguns eventos principais que ocorrem no desenvolvimento do jogo. Apresentamos também uma relação do uso do Resto Zero aos anos/séries em que pode ser trabalhado. / In this dissertation we present and develop a simple game based upon a deck of cards which we call Residue Zero. We study and describe some characteristics of this game by observing its strong connections with probability, combinatorics and basic arithmetic operations. In particular, we compute the probability of several events that occur during the development of this game. We finally provide a relation of the scholar grades in which some features of this game could be worked out.

La combinatoire analytique est un domaine qui consiste à appliquer des méthodes issues de l’analyse complexe à des classes combinatoires afin d’obtenir des résultats sur leurs propriétés asymptotiques. On utilise pour cela des spécifications, qui sont une manière de formaliser la structure (souvent récursive) des objets. Dans cette thèse, nous nous attachons principalement à trouver des nouvelles spécifications pour certaines classes combinatoires, afin de pouvoir ensuite y appliquer des méthodes efficaces d’énumération ou de génération aléatoire. En effet, pour une même classe combinatoire il peut exister différentes spécifications, basées sur des décompositions différentes, rendant les méthodes classiques d’énumération asymptotique et de génération aléatoire plus ou moins adaptées. Le premier volet de résultats présentés concerne l’algorithme de Rémy et la spécification holonome qui y est sous-jacente, basée sur un opérateur de greffe. On y développe un nouvel algorithme, plus efficace, de génération aléatoire d’arbres binaires et un générateur aléatoire d’arbres de Motzkin basé sur le même principe. Nous abordons ensuite des questions relatives à l’étude de sous-classes de λ-termes. Enfin, nous présentons deux autres ensembles de résultats, sur la spécification automatique d’arbres où les occurrences d’un motif donné sont marquées et sur le comportement asymptotique et la génération aléatoire de polyominos digitalement convexes. Dans tous les cas, les nouvelles spécifications obtenues donnent accès à des méthodes qui ne pouvaient pas être utilisées jusque là et nous permettent d’obtenir de nombreux nouveaux résultats. / Analytic combinatorics is a field which consist in applying methods from complex ana- lysis to combinatorial classes in order to obtain results on their asymptotic properties. We use for that specifications, which are a way to formalise the (often recursive) structure of the objects. In this thesis, we mainly devote ourselves to find new specifications for some combinatorial classes, in order to then apply more effective enumerative or random sampling methods. Indeed, for one combinatorial class several different specifications, based on different decompositions, may exist, making the classical methods - of asymptotic enu- meration or random sampling - more or less adapted. The first set of presented results focuses on Rémy’s algorithm and its underlying holonomic specification, based on a grafting operator. We develop a new and more efficient random sampler of binary trees and a random sampler of Motzkin trees based on the same principle. We then address some question relative to the study of subclasses of λ-terms. Finally, we present two other sets of results, on automatic specification of trees where occurrences of a given pattern are marked and on the asymptotic behaviour and the random sampling of digitally convex polyominoes. In every case, the new specifications give access to methods which could not be applied previously and lead to numerous new results.

Representation theory is the study of abstract algebraic structures by representing their elements as linear transformations or matrices. It provides a bridge between the abstract symbolic mathematics and its explicit applications in nearly every branch of mathematics. Combinatorial representation theory aims to use combinatorial objects to model representations, thus answering questions in this field combinatorially. Combinatorial objects are used to help describe, count and generate representations. This has led to a rich symbiotic relationship where combinatorics has helped answer algebraic questions and algebraic techniques have helped answer combinatorial questions. In this thesis we discuss the representation theory of the symmetric group and the general linear group. The theory of these two families of groups is often considered the corner stone of combinatorial representation theory. Results and techniques arising from the study of these groups have been successfully generalized to a very wide class of groups. An overview of some of the generalizations can be found in [BR99]. There are also many avenues for further generalizations which are currently being explored. The constructions of the Specht and Schur modules that we discuss here use the concept of Young tableaux. Young tableaux are combinatorial objects that were introduced by the Reverend Alfred Young, a mathematician at Cambridge University, in 1901. In 1903, Georg Frobenius applied them to the study of the symmetric group. Since then, they have been found to play an important role in the study of symmetric functions, representation theory of the symmetric and complex general linear groups and Schubert calculus of Grassmannians. Applications of Young tableaux to other branches of mathematics are still being discovered. When drawing and labelling Young tableaux there are a few conflicting conventions in the literature, throughout this thesis we shall be following the English notation. In chapter 1 we shall make a few definitions and state some results which will be used in this thesis. In chapter 2 we discuss the representations of the symmetric group. In this chapter we define the Specht modules and prove that they describe all the irreducible representations of Sn. We conclude with a discussion about the ring of Sn representations which is used to prove some identities of Specht modules. In chapter 3 we discuss the representations of the general linear group. In this chapter we define the Schur modules and prove that they describe all the irreducible rational representations of GLmC. We also show that the set of tableaux forms an indexing set for a basis of the Schur modules. In chapter 4 we describe a relation between the Specht and Schur modules. This is a corollary to the more general Schur-Weyl duality, an overview of which can be found in [BR99]. The appendix contains the code and screen-shots of two computer programs that were written as part of this thesis. The programs have been written in C++ and the data structures have been implemented using the Standard Template Library. The first program gives us information about the representations of Sn for a given n. For a user defined n it will list all the Specht modules corresponding to that n, their dimensions and the standard tableaux corresponding to their basis elements. The second program gives information about a certain representation of GLmC. For a user defined m and λ it gives the dimension and the semistandard tableaux corresponding to the basis elements of the Schur module Eλ .

Garantir le fonctionnement correct des systèmes informatisés est un enjeu chaque jour plus important. La vérification formelle est un ensemble de techniquespermettant d’établir la correction d’un modèle mathématique du système par rapport à des propriétés exprimées dans un langage formel.Le "Regular model checking" est une technique bien connuede vérification de systèmes infinis. Elle manipule des ensembles infinis de configurations représentés de façon symbolique. Le "Regular model checking" de systèmes à canaux non fiables (LCS) soulève des questions fondamentales de décision et de complexité concernant l’ordre sous-mot qui modélise la perte de messages. Nous abordons ces questions et résolvons un problème ouvert sur l’index de la congruence de Simon pour les langages testables par morceaux.L’accessibilité pour les LCS est décidable mais de complexité F_{omega^omega} très élevée, bien au delà des complexités primitives récursives. Plusieurs problèmes de complexité équivalente ont été découverts récemment, par exemple dans la vérification de mémoire faibles ou de logique temporelle métrique. Le problème de plongement de Post (PEP) est une abstraction de l’accessibilité des LCS, lui aussi de complexité F_{omega^omega}, et qui nous sert de base dans la définition d’une classe de complexité correspondante. Nous proposons une généralisation commune aux deux variantes existantes de PEP et donnons une preuve de décidabilité simplifiée. Ceci permet d’étendre le modèle des systèmes à canaux unidirectionnels (UCS) par des tests simples tout en préservant la décidabilité de l’accessibilité. / The increasing use of software and automated systems has made it important to ensure their correct behaviour. Formal verification is the technique that establishes correctness of a system or a mathematical model of the system with respect to properties expressed in a formal language.Regular model checking is a common technique for verification of infinite-state systems - it represents infinite sets of configurations symbolically in a finite manner and manipulates them using these representations. Regular model checking for lossy channel systems brings up basic automata-theoretic questions concerning the subword relation on words which models the lossiness of the channels. We address these state complexity and decision problems, and also solve a long-standing problem involving the index of the Simon's piecewise-testability congruence.The reachability problem for lossy channel systems (LCS), though decidable, has very high F_{omega^omega} complexity, well beyond primitive-recursive. In recent times several problems with this complexity have been discovered, for example in the fields of verification of weak memory models and metric temporal logic. The Post Embedding Problem (PEP) is an algebraic abstraction of the reachability problem on LCS, with the same complexity, and is our champion for a "master" problem for the class F_{omega^omega}. We provide a common generalization of two known variants of PEP and give a simpler proof of decidability. This allows us to extend the unidirectional channel system (UCS) model with simple channel tests while having decidable reachability.

Après une présentation générale des cartes planaires, nous définissons les polyèdres en coin, étudiés par Eppstein et Mumford. Nous en venons rapidement à introduire les triangulations en coin, qui sont les cartes duales des squelettes des polyèdres en coin, et en donnons quelques propriétés. Nous proposons un algorithme de réalisation de polyèdres en coin de complexité linéaire. Pour cela, l'étude des triangulations en coin conduit à des problèmes d'énumération. Une méthode classique, connue depuis Tutte, donne le résultat voulu en faisant intervenir la série des nombres de Catalan. La recherche d'une explication combinatoire à la présence des nombres de Catalan a rendu souhaitable l'utilisation d'autres méthodes, fondées sur des découpages et des recollements de morceaux de triangulations en coin. Ainsi apparaît la famille des triangulations en amande, qui est une nouvelle représentation des nombres de Catalan, qui est en bijection directe avec la famille des arbres binaires, et qui complète notre algorithme de réalisation de polyèdres en coin. Nous apportons enfin une conclusion à ces travaux en tentant de généraliser nos méthodes à des cartes dont les faces sont de degré fixé, mais quelconque. / After a general presentation of planar maps, we define corner polyhedra, studied by Eppstein and Mumford. We soon introduce corner triangulations, that are dual maps of the skeletons of corner polyhedra, and we give some properties of them.We offer a linear time algorithm to realize corner polyhedra. For that, the study of corner triangulations leads to enumeration problems. A classic method, known from Tutte, gives the wanted result, making the series of Catalan numbers appearing. The research for a combinatorial explanation of the presence of Catalan numbers induces the use of other methods, based on cuttings and gluings of some parts of corner triangulations. Thus appears the family of almond triangulations, that is a new representation of Catalan numbers, in bijection with the binary trees family, and that completes our corner polyhedra realization algorithm. We eventually give a conclusion to these works, trying to generalize our methods to maps whose faces have an any fixed degree.

The main purpose of this thesis to examine the controllability and observability of the linear discrete fractional systems. First we introduce the problem and continue with the review of some basic definitions and concepts of fractional calculus which are widely used to develop the theory of this subject. In Chapter 3, we give the unique solution of the fractional difference equation involving the Riemann-Liouville operator of real order between zero and one. Additionally we study the sequential fractional difference equations and describe the way to obtain the state-space repre- sentation of the sequential fractional difference equations. In Chapter 4, we study the controllability and observability of time-invariant linear nabla fractional systems.We investigate the time-variant case in Chapter 5 and we define the state transition matrix in fractional calculus. In the last chapter, the results are summarized and directions for future work are stated.

An Italian dominating function on a graph $G = (V,E)$ is a function such that $f : V \to \{0,1,2\}$, and for each vertex $v \in V$ for which $f(v) = 0$, we have $\sum_{u\in N(v)}f(u) \geq 2$. The weight of an Italian dominating function is $f(V) = \sum_{v\in V(G)}f(v)$. The minimum weight of all such functions on a graph $G$ is called the Italian domination number of $G$. In this thesis, we will consider Italian domination in various types of products of a graph $G$ with the complete graph $K_2$. We will find the value of the Italian domination number for ladders, specific families of prisms, mobius ladders and related products including categorical products $G\times K_2$ and lexicographic products $G\cdot K_2$. Finally, we will conclude with open problems.