A counterexample to a geometric Hales-Jewett type conjecture

P\'or and Wood conjectured that for all $k,l \ge 2$ there exists $n \ge 2$ with the following property: whenever $n$ points, no $l + 1$ of which are collinear, are chosen in the plane and each of them is assigned one of $k$ colours, then there must be a line (that is, a maximal set of collinear points) all of whose points have the same colour. The conjecture is easily seen to be true for $l = 2$ (by the pigeonhole principle) and in the case $k = 2$ it is an immediate corollary of the Motzkin-Rabin theorem. In this note we show that the conjecture is false for $k, l \ge 3$.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; updated title, added figures and more detail

Combinatorial and Additive Number Theory Problem Sessions: '09--'19

These notes are a summary of the problem session discussions at various CANT (Combinatorial and Additive Number Theory Conferences). Currently they include all years from 2009 through 2019 (inclusive); the goal is to supplement this file each year. These additions will include the problem session notes from that year, and occasionally discussions on progress on previous problems. If you are interested in pursuing any of these problems and want additional information as to progress, please email the author. See http://www.theoryofnumbers.com/ for the conference homepage.Comment: Version 3.4, 58 pages, 2 figures added 2019 problems on 5/31/2019, fixed a few issues from some presenters 6/29/201

Forbidden vector-valued intersections

We solve a generalised form of a conjecture of Kalai motivated by attempts to improve the bounds for Borsuk's problem. The conjecture can be roughly understood as asking for an analogue of the Frankl-R\"odl forbidden intersection theorem in which set intersections are vector-valued. We discover that the vector world is richer in surprising ways: in particular, Kalai's conjecture is false, but we prove a corrected statement that is essentially best possible, and applies to a considerably more general setting. Our methods include the use of maximum entropy measures, VC-dimension, Dependent Random Choice and a new correlation inequality for product measures.Comment: 40 page

Nonstandard Methods in Ramsey Theory and Combinatorial Number Theory

The goal of this present manuscript is to introduce the reader to the nonstandard method and to provide an overview of its most prominent applications in Ramsey theory and combinatorial number theory.Comment: 126 pages. Comments welcom

Some interesting problems

A ≤W B. (This refers to Wadge reducible.) Answer: The first question was answered by Hjorth [83] who showed that it is independent. 1.2 A subset A ⊂ ω ω is compactly-Γ iff for every compact K ⊂ ω ω we have that A ∩ K is in Γ. Is it consistent relative to ZFC that compactly-Σ 1 1 implies Σ 1 1? (see Miller-Kunen [111], Becker [11]) 1.3 (Miller [111]) Does ∆ 1 1 = compactly- ∆ 1 1 imply Σ 1 1 = compactly-Σ 1 1? 1.4 (Prikry see [62]) Can L ∩ ω ω be a nontrivial Σ 1 1 set? Can there be a nontrivial perfect set of constructible reals? Answer: No, for first question Velickovic-Woodin [192]. question Groszek-Slaman [71]. See also Gitik [67]

Arbeitsgemeinschaft: Ergodic Theory and Combinatorial Number Theory

The aim of this Arbeitsgemeinschaft was to introduce young researchers with various backgrounds to the multifaceted and mutually perpetuating connections between ergodic theory, topological dynamics, combinatorics, and number theory

Topics in metric geometry, combinatorial geometry, extremal combinatorics and additive combinatorics

In this thesis, we consider several combinatorial topics, belonging to the areas appearing in the thesis title. Given a non-empty complete metric space $(X,d)$, a family of $n$ continuous maps $f_1,f_2,\dots,f_n\colon X\to X$ is a \emph{contractive family} if there exists $\lambda0$ and $k\in\mathbb{N}$, we construct a subset $A\subset\mathbb{Z}_N$ for some $N$, such that $|A^2+kA|\leq\epsilon N$, while $A-A=\mathbb{Z}_N$. (Here $A-A=\{a_1-a_2:a_1,a_2\in A\}$ and $A^2+kA=\{a_1a_2+a'_1+a'_2+\dots+a'_k:a_1,a_2,a'_1,a'_2,\dots,a'_k\in A\}$.) We also prove some extensions of this result. Among other ingredients, the proof also includes an application of a quantitative equidistribution result for polynomials. In the final part, we consider the Graham-Pollak problem for hypergraphs. Let $f_r(n)$ be the minimum number of complete $r$-partite $r$-graphs needed to partition the edge set of the complete $r$-uniform hypergraph on $n$ vertices. We disprove a conjecture that $f_4(n)\geq (1+o(1))\binom{n}{2}$, by showing that $f_4(n)\leq\frac{14}{15}(1+o(1))\binom{n}{2}$. The proof is based on the relationship between this problem and a problem about decomposing products of complete graphs, and understanding how the Graham-Pollak theorem (for graphs) affects what can happen here.I would like to thank Trinity College and Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics for their generous financial support and hospitality during PhD studies