Steenrod Lengths and a Problem of Vakil

Abstract

We give an explicit combinatorial description of the function $f(n)$ governing the Steenrod length of real projective spaces $\mathbb{RP}^n$. This function arises in stable homotopy theory through the action of Steenrod squares on mod-$2$ cohomology and is closely related to the ghost length, which measures the minimal number of spheres required to construct a space up to homotopy. Building on the directed graphs $T_n$ introduced by Vakil to encode degree constraints for Steenrod operations, we interpret $f(n)$ as the length of the longest directed path starting at $n$. Using this framework, we resolve a question posed by Vakil by deriving concrete combinatorial formulas for $f(n)$ in terms of binary classes and a distinguished family of integers, which we call Vakil numbers.