Linear independence over naturally-ordered semirings with applications to dimension arguments in extremal combinatorics

Abstract

A family of subsets $\mathcal{F} \subseteq \mathcal{P}(\{1, 2, \ldots, n\})$ has the disparate union property if any two disjoint subfamilies $\mathcal{F}_1, \mathcal{F}_2 \subseteq \mathcal{F}$ have distinct unions $\bigcup \mathcal{F}_1 \neq \bigcup \mathcal{F}_2$; what is the maximal size of a family with the disparate union property? Is there a simple and efficiently computable characterization of size-maximal families? This paper highlights a class of partially-ordered semirings -- difference ordered semirings with a multiplicatively absorbing element -- and shows it is common and easily constructed. We prove that a suitably modified definition of linear independence for semimodules over such semirings enjoys the same maximality property as for vector spaces, and can furthermore be efficiently detected by the bideterminant. These properties allow us to extend dimension argument in extremal combinatorics and provide simple and direct solutions to the puzzles above.