P-adic columns lemma Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
The necessity direction in Rado's theorem colors an integer using initial data from a P-adic valuation. Applying partition regularity and grouping the coordinates of a monochromatic solution by valuation yields the blocks in the columns property; reduction modulo successively higher powers of supplies the required linear dependences.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 130 3 b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Rado's theorem states that a rational matrix is partition regular if and only if it has the columns property. By hypothesis each is partition regular, so choose a columns partition for each one. Form the block-diagonal matrixTaking at stage the union of the th blocks from the individual partitions, with empty blocks added after a partition ends, gives the columns property for : each row block sees exactly the corresponding dependence for its . Hence is partition regular by Rado's theorem. A monochromatic vectorin the kernel of satisfies for every , and all entries of all the have the same color.