Chang theorem 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 129 2 i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Use normalized Fourier analysis on a finite abelian group. If has density , its large spectrum at level isThe Chang theorem states that this spectrum is contained in a subspace of dimensionEquivalently, it is contained in the span of a dissociated set of that size.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 129 3 iv Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Choose and a sufficiently large absolute constant . Part (iii)'s size bound givesLetand choose a maximal dissociated set . The entropy form of the Chang theorem givesand maximality gives .
Put . If and , expressing as a product of characters in and their inverses givesFor , Parseval identity givesAlso . Fourier inversion theorem therefore yieldsonce is large enough.