For which positive integers is there an matrix with integer entries such that every dot product of a row with itself is even, while every dot product of two different rows is odd?
Solution
The answer is odd. Let denote the identity matrix, and let denote the matrix all of whose entries are . If is odd, then the matrix satisfies the conditions of the problem: the dot product of any row with itself is , and the dot product of any two distinct rows is . Conversely, suppose is even, and suppose that the matrix satisfied the conditions of the problem. Consider all matrices and vectors mod . Since the dot product of a row with itself is equal mod to the sum of the entries of the row, we have where is the vector , and so is singular. On the other hand, ; since we have and , contradicting the fact that is singular.
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