Ars Combinatoria

ISSN 0381-7032 (print), 2817-5204 (online)

Ars Combinatoria is the oldest Canadian journal of combinatorics, established in 1976, dedicated to advancing combinatorial mathematics through the publication of high-quality, peer-reviewed research papers. Over the decades, it has built a strong international reputation and continues to serve as a leading platform for significant contributions to the field.
Open Access:  The journal follows the Diamond Open Access model—completely free for both authors and readers, with no article processing charges (APCs)
Publication Frequency: From 2024 onward, Ars Combinatoria publishes four issues annually—in March, June, September, and December.
Scope: Publishes research in all areas of combinatorics, including graph theory, design theory, enumeration, algebraic combinatorics, combinatorial optimization and related fields.
Indexing & Abstracting:  Indexed in MathSciNet, Zentralblatt MATH, and EBSCO, ensuring wide visibility and scholarly reach.
Rapid Publication: Submissions are processed efficiently, with accepted papers published promptly in the next available issue.
Print & Online Editions: Issues are available in both print and online formats to serve a broad readership.

Hegang Chen1
1Department of Statistics Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA 24061-0439
Abstract:

Let \(M\) be an \(m\)-subset of \(\mathrm{PG}(k, 2)\), the finite projective geometry of dimension \(k\) over \(\mathrm{GF}(2)\). We would like to know the maximum number of lines that can be contained in \(M\). In this paper, we will not only give the maximum number of lines contained in \(m\)-subsets of \(\mathrm{PG}(k,2)\), but also construct an \(m\)-subset of \(\mathrm{PG}(k,2)\) containing the maximum number of lines.

Olof Heden1
1Department of Mathematics KTH S-10044 Stockholm Sweden
Abstract:

Maximal partial spreads of the sizes \(13, 14, 15, \ldots, 22\) and \(26\) are described. They were found by using a computer. The computer also made a complete search for maximal partial spreads of size less than or equal to \(12\). No such maximal partial spreads were found.

John Ginsburg1, Bill Sands2
1Department of Mathematics and Statistics University of Winnipeg Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9
2 Department of Mathematics and Statistics University of Calgary Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
Abstract:

Suppose we are given a set of sticks of various integer lengths, and that we have a knife that can cut as many as \(w\) sticks at a time. We wish to cut all the sticks up into pieces of unit length. By what procedure should the sticks be cut so that the total number of steps required is minimum? In this paper we show that the following natural algorithm is optimal: at each stage, choose the \(w\) longest sticks (or all sticks of length \(> 1\) if there are fewer than \(w\) of them) and cut them all in half (or as nearly in half as possible).

A. Raychaudhuri1
1The College of Staten Island Department of Mathematics 2800 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, New York 10314
Abstract:

In this paper, we study intersection assignments of graphs using multiple intervals for each vertex, where each interval is of identical length or in which no interval is properly contained in another. The resulting parameters unit interval number, \(i_u(G)\) and proper interval number, \(i_p(G)\) are shown to be equal for any graph \(G\). Also, \(i_u(G)\) of a triangle-free graph \(G\) with maximum degree \(D\) is \(\left\lceil\frac{D+1}{2}\right\rceil\) if \(G\) is regular and \(\left\lceil\frac{D}{2}\right\rceil\) otherwise.

John Krussel1, Susan Marshall2, Helen Verrall3
1Department of Mathematical Sciences Lewis and Clark College Portland, Oregon 97219
2Equipe Combinatoire, Université de Paris VI 4, Place Jussieu 75252 Paris Cedex
3Department of Mathematics and Statistics Simon Fraser University Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6
Abstract:

In [3] Brualdi and Hollingsworth conjectured that for any one-factorization \(\mathcal{F}\) of \(K_n\), there exists a decomposition of \(K_{2n}\) into spanning trees orthogonal to \(\mathcal{F}\). They also showed that two such spanning trees always existed. We construct three such trees and exhibit an infinite class of complete graphs with an orthogonal decomposition into spanning trees with respect to the one-factorization \(GK_{2n}\).

A.K. Agarwal1
1Centre for Advanced Study in Mathematics Panjab University Chandigarh— 160 014 (india)
Abstract:

Four generalized theorems involving partitions and \((n+1)\)-color partitions are proved combinatorially. Each of these theorems gives us infinitely many partition identities. We obtain new generating functions for \(F\)-partitions and discuss some particular cases which provide elegant Rogers-Ramanujan type identities for \(F\)-partitions.

Jin Ho Kwak1, Sungpyo Hong1, Jaeun Lee2, Moo Young Sohn3
1Combinatorial and Computational Mathematics Center Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784, Korea
2Mathematics, Yeungnam University, Kyongsan 712-749, Korea
3 Mathematics, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-240, Korea
Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to study the isoperimetric numbers of double coverings of a complete graph. It turns out that these numbers are very closely related to the bisection widths of the double coverings and the degrees of unbalance of the signed graphs which derive the double coverings. For example, the bisection width of a double covering of a complete graph \(K_m\) is equal to \(m\) times its isoperimetric number. We determine which numbers can be the isoperimetric numbers of double coverings of a complete graph.

Gary MacGillivray1, Kathryn L.B. Wood1
1Department of Mathematics and Statistics University of Victoria Victoria, British Columbia Canada V8W 3P4
Abstract:

A digraph operation called pushing a set of vertices is studied with respect to tournaments. When a set \(X\) of vertices is pushed, the orientation of every arc with exactly one end in \(X\) is reversed. We discuss the problems of which tournaments can be made transitive and which can be made isomorphic to their converse using this operation.

Robert C. Brigham1, Julie R. Carrington2, Richard P. Vitray2
1Department of Mathematics, University of Central Florida Orlando FL 32816
2Department of Mathematical Sciences, Rollins College Winter Park FL 32789
Abstract:

Let \(I(G)\) be a graphical invariant defined for any graph \(G\). For several choices of \(I\) representing domination parameters, we characterize sequences of positive integers \(a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n\) which have an associated sequence of graphs \(G_1,G_2,\ldots,G_n\) such that \(G_i\) has \(i\) vertices, \(G_i\) is an induced subgraph of \(G_{i+1}\), and \(I(G_i) = a_i\).

Peter Adams1, Darryn E. Bryant1, A. Khodkar1
1Centre for Discrete Mathematics and Computing Department of Mathematics The University of Queensland 4072, Australia
Abstract:

The fine structure of a directed triple system of index \(\lambda\) is the vector \((c_1,c_2,\ldots,c_\lambda)\), where \(c_i\) is the number of directed triples appearing precisely \(i\) times in the system. We determine necessary and sufficient conditions for a vector to be the fine structure of a directed triple system of index \(3\) for \(v \equiv 2 \pmod{3}\).