The Infinite Lights out Problem and Symmetric Matrices over \(\mathbb{Z}_{2}\).

Daniel Goncalves1, Cardoso Gongalves*1
1Departamento de Matematica – Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Trindade – Floriandépolis – SC – 88.040-900 – Brazil.

Abstract

We show, using a hybrid analysis/linear algebra argument, that the diagonal vector of an infinite symmetric matrix over \(\mathbb{Z}_{2}\) is contained in the range of the matrix. We apply this result to an extension, to the countably infinite case, of the Lights Out problem.

Keywords: Infinite matrices, lights out, symmetric matrices, diagonal, range