arXiv subjects

Andrew Treglown

Publications and source records attributed to Andrew Treglown.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

On the complexity of finding and counting solution-free sets of integers

Given a linear equation $\mathcal{L}$, a set $A$ of integers is $\mathcal{L}$-free if $A$ does not contain any `non-trivial' solutions to $\mathcal{L}$. This notion incorporates many central topics in combinatorial number theory such as sum-free and progression-free sets. In this paper we initiate the study of (parameterised) complexity questions involving $\mathcal{L}$-free sets of integers. The main questions we consider involve deciding whether a finite set of integers $A$ has an $\mathcal{L}$-free subset of a given size, and counting all such $\mathcal{L}$-free subsets. We also raise a number of open problems.

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arXiv2016

On degree sequences forcing the square of a Hamilton cycle

A famous conjecture of Pósa from 1962 asserts that every graph on $n$ vertices and with minimum degree at least $2n/3$ contains the square of a Hamilton cycle. The conjecture was proven for large graphs in 1996 by Komlós, Sárközy and Szemerédi. In this paper we prove a degree sequence version of Pósa's conjecture: Given any $η>0$, every graph $G$ of sufficiently large order $n$ contains the square of a Hamilton cycle if its degree sequence $d_1\leq \dots \leq d_n$ satisfies $d_i \geq (1/3+η)n+i$ for all $i \leq n/3$. The degree sequence condition here is asymptotically best possible. Our approach uses a hybrid of the Regularity-Blow-up method and the Connecting-Absorbing method.

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arXiv2016

On solution-free sets of integers

Given a linear equation $\mathcal{L}$, a set $A \subseteq [n]$ is $\mathcal{L}$-free if $A$ does not contain any `non-trivial' solutions to $\mathcal{L}$. In this paper we consider the following three general questions: (i) What is the size of the largest $\mathcal{L}$-free subset of $[n]$? (ii) How many $\mathcal{L}$-free subsets of $[n]$ are there? (iii) How many maximal $\mathcal{L}$-free subsets of $[n]$ are there? We completely resolve (i) in the case when $\mathcal{L}$ is the equation $px+qy=z$ for fixed $p,q\in \mathbb N$ where $p\geq 2$. Further, up to a multiplicative constant, we answer (ii) for a wide class of such equations $\mathcal{L}$, thereby refining a special case of a result of Green. We also give various bounds on the number of maximal $\mathcal{L}$-free subsets of $[n]$ for three-variable homogeneous linear equations $\mathcal{L}$. For this, we make use of container and removal lemmas of Green.

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arXiv2016

The complexity of perfect matchings and packings in dense hypergraphs

Given two $k$-graphs $H$ and $F$, a perfect $F$-packing in $H$ is a collection of vertex-disjoint copies of $F$ in $H$ which together cover all the vertices in $H$. In the case when $F$ is a single edge, a perfect $F$-packing is simply a perfect matching. For a given fixed $F$, it is often the case that the decision problem whether an $n$-vertex $k$-graph $H$ contains a perfect $F$-packing is NP-complete. Indeed, if $k \geq 3$, the corresponding problem for perfect matchings is NP-complete whilst if $k=2$ the problem is NP-complete in the case when $F$ has a component consisting of at least $3$ vertices. In this paper we give a general tool which can be used to determine classes of (hyper)graphs for which the corresponding decision problem for perfect $F$-packings is polynomial time solvable. We then give three applications of this tool: (i) Given $1\leq \ell \leq k-1$, we give a minimum $\ell$-degree condition for which it is polynomial time solvable to determine whether a $k$-graph satisfying this condition has a perfect matching; (ii) Given any graph $F$ we give a minimum degree condition for which it is polynomial time solvable to determine whether a graph satisfying this condition has a perfect $F$-packing; (iii) We also prove a similar result for perfect $K$-packings in $k$-graphs where $K$ is a $k$-partite $k$-graph. For a range of values of $\ell,k$ (i) resolves a conjecture of Keevash, Knox and Mycroft whilst (ii) answers a question of Yuster in the negative. In many cases our results are best possible in the sense that lowering the minimum degree condition means that the corresponding decision problem becomes NP-complete.

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arXiv2016

Tiling directed graphs with tournaments

The Hajnal--Szemerédi theorem states that for any integer $r \ge 1$ and any multiple $n$ of $r$, if $G$ is a graph on $n$ vertices and $δ(G) \ge (1 - 1/r)n$, then $G$ can be partitioned into $n/r$ vertex-disjoint copies of the complete graph on $r$ vertices. We prove a very general analogue of this result for directed graphs: for any integer $r \ge 4$ and any sufficiently large multiple $n$ of $r$, if $G$ is a directed graph on $n$ vertices and every vertex is incident to at least $2(1 - 1/r)n - 1$ directed edges, then $G$ can be partitioned into $n/r$ vertex-disjoint subgraphs of size $r$ each of which contain every tournament on $r$ vertices. A related Turán-type result is also proven.

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arXiv2016

A degree sequence Hajnal--Szemerédi theorem

We say that a graph $G$ has a perfect $H$-packing if there exists a set of vertex-disjoint copies of $H$ which cover all the vertices in $G$. The seminal Hajnal--Szemerédi theorem characterises the minimum degree that ensures a graph $G$ contains a perfect $K_r$-packing. Balogh, Kostochka and Treglown proposed a degree sequence version of the Hajnal--Szemerédi theorem which, if true, gives a strengthening of the Hajnal--Szemerédi theorem. In this paper we prove this conjecture asymptotically. Another fundamental result in the area is the Alon--Yuster theorem which gives a minimum degree condition that ensures a graph contains a perfect $H$-packing for an \emph{arbitrary} graph $H$. We give a wide-reaching generalisation of this result by answering another conjecture of Balogh, Kostochka and Treglown on the degree sequence of a graph that forces a perfect $H$-packing. We also prove a degree sequence result concerning perfect transitive tournament packings in directed graphs. The proofs blend together the regularity and absorbing methods.

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arXiv2016

A note on perfect matchings in uniform hypergraphs

We determine the \emph{exact} minimum $\ell$-degree threshold for perfect matchings in $k$-uniform hypergraphs when the corresponding threshold for perfect fractional matchings is significantly less than $\frac{1}{2} \binom{n}{k- \ell}$. This extends our previous results that determine the minimum $\ell$-degree thresholds for perfect matchings in $k$-uniform hypergraphs for all $\ell\ge k/2$ and provides two new (exact) thresholds: $(k,\ell)=(5,2)$ and $(7,3)$.

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arXiv2015

Exact minimum codegree threshold for $K^- _4$-factors

Given hypergraphs $F$ and $H$, an $F$-factor in $H$ is a set of vertex-disjoint copies of $F$ which cover all the vertices in $H$. Let $K^- _4$ denote the $3$-uniform hypergraph with $4$ vertices and $3$ edges. We show that for sufficiently large $n\in 4 \mathbb N$, every $3$-uniform hypergraph $H$ on $n$ vertices with minimum codegree at least $n/2-1$ contains a $K^- _4$-factor. Our bound on the minimum codegree here is best-possible. It resolves a conjecture of Lo and Markström for large hypergraphs, who earlier proved an asymptotically exact version of this result. Our proof makes use of the absorbing method as well as a result of Keevash and Mycroft concerning almost perfect matchings in hypergraphs.

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arXiv2015

On directed versions of the Hajnal--Szemerédi theorem

We say that a (di)graph $G$ has a perfect $H$-packing if there exists a set of vertex-disjoint copies of $H$ which cover all the vertices in $G$. The seminal Hajnal--Szemerédi theorem characterises the minimum degree that ensures a graph $G$ contains a perfect $K_r$-packing. In this paper we prove the following analogue for directed graphs: Suppose that $T$ is a tournament on $r$ vertices and $G$ is a digraph of sufficiently large order $n$ where $r$ divides $n$. If $G$ has minimum in- and outdegree at least $ (1-1/r)n$ then $G$ contains a perfect $T$-packing. In the case when $T$ is a cyclic triangle, this result verifies a recent conjecture of Czygrinow, Kierstead and Molla (for large digraphs). Furthermore, in the case when $T$ is transitive we conjecture that it suffices for every vertex in $G$ to have sufficiently large indegree or outdegree. We prove this conjecture for transitive triangles and asymptotically for all $r \geq 3$. Our approach makes use of a result of Keevash and Mycroft concerning almost perfect matchings in hypergraphs as well as the Directed Graph Removal lemma.

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arXiv2014

Proof of the 1-factorization and Hamilton decomposition conjectures II: the bipartite case

In a sequence of four papers, we prove the following results (via a unified approach) for all sufficiently large $n$: (i) [1-factorization conjecture] Suppose that $n$ is even and $D \geq 2\lceil n/4\rceil -1$. Then every $D$-regular graph $G$ on $n$ vertices has a decomposition into perfect matchings. Equivalently, $χ'(G)=D$. (ii) [Hamilton decomposition conjecture] Suppose that $D \ge \lfloor n/2 \rfloor $. Then every $D$-regular graph $G$ on $n$ vertices has a decomposition into Hamilton cycles and at most one perfect matching. (iii) [Optimal packings of Hamilton cycles] Suppose that $G$ is a graph on $n$ vertices with minimum degree $δ\ge n/2$. Then $G$ contains at least ${\rm reg}_{\rm even}(n,δ)/2 \ge (n-2)/8$ edge-disjoint Hamilton cycles. Here ${\rm reg}_{\rm even}(n,δ)$ denotes the degree of the largest even-regular spanning subgraph one can guarantee in a graph on $n$ vertices with minimum degree $δ$. According to Dirac, (i) was first raised in the 1950s. (ii) and the special case $δ= \lceil n/2 \rceil$ of (iii) answer questions of Nash-Williams from 1970. All of the above bounds are best possible. In the current paper, we prove the above results for the case when $G$ is close to a complete balanced bipartite graph.

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arXiv2014

Proof of the 1-factorization and Hamilton decomposition conjectures III: approximate decompositions

In a sequence of four papers, we prove the following results (via a unified approach) for all sufficiently large $n$: (i) [1-factorization conjecture] Suppose that $n$ is even and $D\geq 2\lceil n/4\rceil -1$. Then every $D$-regular graph $G$ on $n$ vertices has a decomposition into perfect matchings. Equivalently, $χ'(G)=D$. (ii) [Hamilton decomposition conjecture] Suppose that $D \ge \lfloor n/2 \rfloor $. Then every $D$-regular graph $G$ on $n$ vertices has a decomposition into Hamilton cycles and at most one perfect matching. (iii) We prove an optimal result on the number of edge-disjoint Hamilton cycles in a graph of given minimum degree. According to Dirac, (i) was first raised in the 1950s. (ii) and (iii) answer questions of Nash-Williams from 1970. The above bounds are best possible. In the current paper, we show the following: suppose that $G$ is close to a complete balanced bipartite graph or to the union of two cliques of equal size. If we are given a suitable set of path systems which cover a set of `exceptional' vertices and edges of $G$, then we can extend these path systems into an approximate decomposition of $G$ into Hamilton cycles (or perfect matchings if appropriate).

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arXiv2014

Proof of the $1$-factorization and Hamilton Decomposition Conjectures

In this paper we prove the following results (via a unified approach) for all sufficiently large $n$: (i) [$1$-factorization conjecture] Suppose that $n$ is even and $D\geq 2\lceil n/4\rceil -1$. Then every $D$-regular graph $G$ on $n$ vertices has a decomposition into perfect matchings. Equivalently, $χ'(G)=D$. (ii) [Hamilton decomposition conjecture] Suppose that $D \ge \lfloor n/2 \rfloor $. Then every $D$-regular graph $G$ on $n$ vertices has a decomposition into Hamilton cycles and at most one perfect matching. (iii) [Optimal packings of Hamilton cycles] Suppose that $G$ is a graph on $n$ vertices with minimum degree $δ\ge n/2$. Then $G$ contains at least ${\rm reg}_{\rm even}(n,δ)/2 \ge (n-2)/8$ edge-disjoint Hamilton cycles. Here $\text{reg}_{\text{even}}(n,δ)$ denotes the degree of the largest even-regular spanning subgraph one can guarantee in a graph on $n$ vertices with minimum degree $δ$. (i) was first explicitly stated by Chetwynd and Hilton. (ii) and the special case $δ= \lceil n/2 \rceil$ of (iii) answer questions of Nash-Williams from 1970. All of the above bounds are best possible.

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arXiv2014

A random version of Sperner's theorem

Let $\mathcal{P}(n)$ denote the power set of $[n]$, ordered by inclusion, and let $\mathcal{P}(n,p)$ be obtained from $\mathcal{P}(n)$ by selecting elements from $\mathcal{P}(n)$ independently at random with probability $p$. A classical result of Sperner asserts that every antichain in $\mathcal{P}(n)$ has size at most that of the middle layer, $\binom{n}{\lfloor n/2 \rfloor}$. In this note we prove an analogous result for $\mathcal{P} (n,p)$: If $pn \rightarrow \infty$ then, with high probability, the size of the largest antichain in $\mathcal{P}(n,p)$ is at most $(1+o(1)) p \binom{n}{\lfloor n/2 \rfloor}$. This solves a conjecture of Osthus who proved the result in the case when $pn/\log n \rightarrow \infty$. Our condition on $p$ is best-possible. In fact, we prove a more general result giving an upper bound on the size of the largest antichain for a wider range of values of $p$.

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arXiv2014

The number of maximal sum-free subsets of integers

Cameron and Erdős raised the question of how many maximal sum-free sets there are in $\{1, \dots , n\}$, giving a lower bound of $2^{\lfloor n/4 \rfloor }$. In this paper we prove that there are in fact at most $2^{(1/4+o(1))n}$ maximal sum-free sets in $\{1, \dots , n\}$. Our proof makes use of container and removal lemmas of Green as well as a result of Deshouillers, Freiman, Sós and Temkin on the structure of sum-free sets.

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arXiv2013

On perfect packings in dense graphs

We say that a graph G has a perfect H-packing if there exists a set of vertex-disjoint copies of H which cover all the vertices in G. We consider various problems concerning perfect H-packings: Given positive integers n, r, D, we characterise the edge density threshold that ensures a perfect K_r-packing in any graph G on n vertices and with minimum degree at least D. We also give two conjectures concerning degree sequence conditions which force a graph to contain a perfect H-packing. Other related embedding problems are also considered. Indeed, we give a structural result concerning K_r-free graphs that satisfy a certain degree sequence condition.

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arXiv2012

Matchings in 3-uniform hypergraphs

We determine the minimum vertex degree that ensures a perfect matching in a 3-uniform hypergraph. More precisely, suppose that H is a sufficiently large 3-uniform hypergraph whose order n is divisible by 3. If the minimum vertex degree of H is greater than \binom{n-1}{2}-\binom{2n/3}{2}, then H contains a perfect matching. This bound is tight and answers a question of Han, Person and Schacht. More generally, we show that H contains a matching of size d\le n/3 if its minimum vertex degree is greater than \binom{n-1}{2}-\binom{n-d}{2}, which is also best possible. This extends a result of Bollobas, Daykin and Erdos.

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arXiv2012

Exact minimum degree thresholds for perfect matchings in uniform hypergraphs

Given positive integers k and r where 4 divides k and k/2 \leq r \leq k-1, we give a minimum r-degree condition that ensures a perfect matching in a k-uniform hypergraph. This condition is best possible and improves on work of Pikhurko who gave an asymptotically exact result. Our approach makes use of the absorbing method, as well as the hypergraph removal lemma and a structural result of Keevash and Sudakov relating to the Turan number of the expanded triangle.

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arXiv2012

Exact minimum degree thresholds for perfect matchings in uniform hypergraphs II

Given positive integers k\geq 3 and r where k/2 \leq r \leq k-1, we give a minimum r-degree condition that ensures a perfect matching in a k-uniform hypergraph. This condition is best possible and improves on work of Pikhurko who gave an asymptotically exact result. Our approach makes use of the absorbing method, and builds on work in 'Exact minimum degree thresholds for perfect matchings in uniform hypergraphs', where we proved the result for k divisible by 4.

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