C195X PDF AppB
C195X PDF AppB
C195X PDF AppB
Some algebra
B.1 Introduction
Some specialized aspects of the design of experiments, especially
the construction of arrangements with special properties, have links
with problems of general combinatorial interest. This is not a topic
we have emphasized in the book, but in this Appendix we review in
outline some of the algebra involved. The discussion is in a number
of sections which can be read largely independently. One objective
of this Appendix is to introduce some key algebraic ideas needed
to approach some of the more specialized literature.
Properties
1. A group is generated equally by any set of m independent ele-
ments.
2. Any subgroup is of order p, p2 , . . . and is generated by a suitable
set of elements.
Column
u0 u1 u2 u3 u4
Row u0 =0 0 1 2 3 4
u1 =1 1 2 3 4 0
u2 =2 2 3 4 0 1
u3 =3 3 4 0 1 2
u4 =4 4 0 1 2 3
L1
u0 u1 u2 u3 u4
Row u0 =0 0 1 2 3 4
u1 =1 2 3 4 0 1
u2 =2 4 0 1 2 3
u3 =3 1 2 3 4 0
u4 =4 3 4 0 1 2
L2
n = pm 1 m2
1 p2 . . . (p1 6= p2 6= . . .) and if rn = min(pm 1 m2
1 , p2 , . . . , ),
2
then N (n) ≥ rn − 1. Thus if n = 12, rn = min(2 , 3) = 3 and there
exists at least 3 − 1 = 2 orthogonal 12 × 12 squares. Fisher and
Yates, and others, have shown that N (6) = 1, i.e. there is not even
a Graeco-Latin square of size 6.
A longstanding conjecture of Euler was that N (n) = rn − 1,
which would have implied that no Graeco-Latin square exists when
n = 2 mod 4, and in particular that no 10×10 Graeco-Latin square
exists. A pair of orthogonal 10 × 10 Latin squares was constructed
in 1960, and it is now known that N (n) > 1, n > 6, so that Graeco-
Latin squares exist except when n = 6. Some bounds for N (n) are
known, and N (n) → ∞ as n → ∞.
Notes
1. The full axioms for a field are not used in the above construction.
It would be enough to have a linear associative algebra. This
fact does lead to systems of squares essentially different from
L1 , . . . , Ln , but not to a solution when n 6= pm .
Bγ Dα Cβ Aδ BII DI CI AII
Cδ Aβ Bα Dγ CII AI BI DII
Aα Cγ Dδ Bβ AI CII DII BI
Dβ Bδ Aγ Cα DI BII AII CI
The symbols I, II each occur twice in each row and column and
twice in common with each letter. Orthogonal partitions exist
for 6 × 6 squares.
3. Combinatorial properties of Latin squares are unaffected by
changes between rows, columns and letters.
(a0 , a1 , . . . , ak ), (b0 , b1 , . . . , bk )
LT L = I, (B.12)
LT L = D, (B.13)
Codeword 00 01 02 10 11
Code 0000 0111 0222 1012 1120
Codeword 12 20 21 22
Code 1201 2021 2102 2210