On the number of Latin rectangles

Stones, Douglas

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Stones, Douglas. Monash University. Faculty of Science. School of Mathematical Sciences; 2010. On the number of Latin rectangles.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/167114

Title: On the number of Latin rectangles
Creator: Stones, Douglas
Contributor: Principal Supervisor: Ian Wanless
Subject: Latin squares
Subject: Latin rectangles
Subject: Partial orthomorphisms
Subject: Compound orthomorphisms
Subject: Compatible orthomorphisms
Subject: Polynomial orthomorphisms
Subject: Isotopisms
Subject: Isomorphisms
Subject: Autotopisms
Subject: Automorphisms
Subject: Subsquares
Subject: Latin cubes
Subject: Latin hypercubes
Subject: Latin hypercuboids
Subject: Even Latin squares
Subject: Odd Latin squares
Subject: Alon-Tarsi Conjecture
Subject: Graph decompositions
Subject: Orthomorphisms
Date: 2010
Publisher: Monash University. Faculty of Science. School of Mathematical Sciences
Description: This thesis primarily investigates the number Rk,n of reduced k X n Latin rectangles. Specifically, we find many congruences that involve Rk,n with the aim of improving our understanding of Rk,n. In general, the problem of finding Rk,n is difficult and furthermore, the literature contains many published errors. Modern enumeration algorithms, such as that of McKay and Wanless, require lengthy computations and storage of a large amount of data. Consequently, even into the future, the possibility of obtaining an erroneous result remains, for example, through a hardware or bookkeeping error. In this thesis we find many congruences satisfied by Rk,n so that future researchers will be able to check that their purported value of Rk,n satisfies these congruences. We extend the methodology developed in this thesis to encompass the number of certain graph factorisations, the number of orthomorphisms and partial orthomorphisms and the size of certain subsets of Latin hypercuboids. Consequently we find new congruences satisfied by all these numbers. Additionally, we give new sufficient conditions for when a partial orthomorphism admits a completion to an orthomorphism. In a 1997 paper, Drisko suggested some ideas for future research in the study of the Alon-Tarsi Conjecture, which we show to be futile. We find a new bound on the maximum size of an autotopism group of a Latin square which enables us to find new divisors of Rn,n for large n. A similar method gives a bound on the maximum number of k X k subsquares in a Latin square, for general k. Finally, we find new strong necessary conditions for when an isotopism can be an autotopism of some Latin square.

collection(s): Doctorate theses
collection(s): Monash University Theses
Identifier: http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/167114
Identifier: ethesis-20100212-160055
Identifier: monash:29434
Language: eng
Rights: Open access: open access to thesis full text.
Rights: This thesis is protected by copyright. Copyright in the thesis remains with the author. The Monash University ARROW Repository has a non-exclusive licence to publish and communicate this thesis online.
Type: thesis
Type: thesis(doctorate)

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On the number of Latin rectangles

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