Expressing a General Form as a Sum of Determinants

Let A= (a_{ij}) be a non-negative integer k x k matrix. A is a homogeneous matrix if a_{ij} + a_{kl}=a_{il} + a_{kj} for any choice of the four indexes. We ask: If A is a homogeneous matrix and if F is a form in C[x_1, \dots x_n] with deg(F) = trace(A), what is the least integer, s(A), so that F = det M_1 + ... + det M_{s(A)}, where the M_i's are k x k matrices of forms with degree matrix A? We consider this problem for n>3 and we prove that s(A) is at most k^{n-3} and s(A) <k^{n-3} in infinitely many cases. However s(A) = k^{n-3} when the entries of A are large with respect to k

Combinatorial bounds on Hilbert functions of fat points in projective space

We study Hilbert functions of certain non-reduced schemes A supported at finite sets of points in projective space, in particular, fat point schemes. We give combinatorially defined upper and lower bounds for the Hilbert function of A using nothing more than the multiplicities of the points and information about which subsets of the points are linearly dependent. When N=2, we give these bounds explicitly and we give a sufficient criterion for the upper and lower bounds to be equal. When this criterion is satisfied, we give both a simple formula for the Hilbert function and combinatorially defined upper and lower bounds on the graded Betti numbers for the ideal defining A, generalizing results of Geramita-Migliore-Sabourin (2006). We obtain the exact Hilbert functions and graded Betti numbers for many families of examples, interesting combinatorially, geometrically, and algebraically. Our method works in any characteristic. AWK scripts implementing our results can be obtained at http://www.math.unl.edu/~bharbourne1/CHT/Example.html .Comment: 23 pages; changes have been made following suggestions of the referee; explicit statements are now included for dimensions greater than 2, hence the title no longer mentions the plane; however the content is largely the same as in the previous version; this version is to appear in the Journal of Pure and Applied Algebr

Resolutions of Subsets of Finite Sets of Points in Projective Space

Given a finite set, $X$, of points in projective space for which the Hilbert function is known, a standard result says that there exists a subset of this finite set whose Hilbert function is ``as big as possible'' inside $X$. Given a finite set of points in projective space for which the minimal free resolution of its homogeneous ideal is known, what can be said about possible resolutions of ideals of subsets of this finite set? We first give a maximal rank type description of the most generic possible resolution of a subset. Then we show that this generic resolution is not always achieved, by incorporating an example of Eisenbud and Popescu. However, we show that it {\em is} achieved for sets of points in projective two space: given any finite set of points in projective two space for which the minimal free resolution is known, there must exist a subset having the predicted resolution.Comment: 17 page