Given a prime number congruent to modulo such that is also prime, show that there exists a matrix of zeros and ones containing exactly (respectively, ) ones no submatrix of which contains exactly (respectively, ) ones.
Solution
Let , , and write . Form a -by- matrix consisting of ones only except for a single entry. Such a matrix has exactly ones. A submatrix comprising rows, , and columns, , contains or ones. In the former case, implies or , because is prime; in the latter, implies , so or , because is prime. Both cases contradict the size of the matrix, so no submatrix contains exactly ones.
Next, write . Now form a -by- matrix consisting of ones only except for one column that contains only a single one. Such a matrix has exactly ones. A submatrix comprising rows, , and all-one columns, , contains or ones. In the former case, implies or because is prime; in the latter, , so either or since is prime. Again, this contradicts the size of the matrix and the conclusion follows.