Comparing sumsets and difference sets
Date
-
Topic
Since addition is commutative but subtraction is not, the subset S+S of
a finite set S is predisposed to be smaller than the difference set
S-S. As Mel Nathanson wrote:
Even though there exist sets S that have more sums than differences, such sets should be rare, and it must be true with the right way of counting that the vast majority of sets satisfy |S-S| > |S+S|.
We talk about joint work with Kevin O'Bryant in which we probe this statement from various angles, indicating what's right and what's wrong with Nathanson's belief.
Even though there exist sets S that have more sums than differences, such sets should be rare, and it must be true with the right way of counting that the vast majority of sets satisfy |S-S| > |S+S|.
We talk about joint work with Kevin O'Bryant in which we probe this statement from various angles, indicating what's right and what's wrong with Nathanson's belief.
Speakers
Additional Information
Discrete Math Seminar 2006
Greg Martin (University of British Columbia)
