Discrete Mathematics & Theoretical Computer Science, Vol 5 (2002)

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On a Unimodality Conjecture in Matroid Theory

W. M. B. Dukes

Abstract


A certain unimodal conjecture in matroid theory states the number of rank-r matroids on a set of size n is unimodal in r and attains its maximum at r=⌊ n/2 ⌋. We show that this conjecture holds up to r=3 by constructing a map from a class of rank-2 matroids into the class of loopless rank-3 matroids. Similar inequalities are proven for the number of non-isomorphic loopless matroids, loopless matroids and matroids.

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