Acta Mathematica Sinica, English Series

Jan., 2001, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 161168

Explicit Expressions of Smiths Determinant on a Poset

Bo Ying WANG
Department of Mathematics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
E-mail: bywang@sun.ihep.ac.cn

Abstract We introduce the meet-function and join-function on a subset of a poset and use them to
give some explicit expressions of Smiths determinant.
Keywords Poset, Meet-semilattice, Join-semilattice, Meet-function, Join-function, Smiths determinant
1991MR Subject Classification 15A36, 15A09

Introduction

Let (P, ) be a poset. We call P a meet-semilattice [1, p. 103] if for any x, y P there exists
a unique z P such that
(i) z x and z y, and (ii) if w x and w y for some w P , then w z.
In such a case z is called the meet of x and y and is denoted by x y.
Dually, we call P a join-semilattice if for any x, y P there exists a unique z P such that
(i) x z and y z, and (ii) if x w and y w for some w P , then z w.
In such a case z is called the join of x and y and is denoted by x y.
Let S be a subset of meet-semilattice (join-semilattice) P . We call S meet-closed (joinclosed) if for every x, y S, we have xy S(xy S). In this case S itself is a meet-semilattice
(join-semilattice).
Example 1

Let P be the set of natural numbers with the partial order dened by x y

if x|y for x, y P . Then P is a lattice, and x y is (x, y), the greatest common divisor of x
and y, and x y is [x, y], the least common multiple of x and y. In this case, meet-closed is
termed gcd-closed, and join-closed lcm-closed.
Received September 28, 1998, Accepted February 4, 1999
Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

B. Y. Wang

162

Example 2

Let P be the set of natural numbers . Dene x y by xy (i.e. x|y and

(x, y/x) = 1; x is called a unitary divisor of y) (see e.g. [2]). Then P is a meet-semilattice,
and x y is denoted by (x, y) , the greatest common unitary divisor of x and y, meet-closed is
called gcud-closed. Note that P is not a join-semilattice; for example, there is no m P such
that 2m and 4m.
Example 3

Let P be all the subsets of a nite set Q. For A, B P , A B is dened by

A B. Then P is a lattice, and A B = A B (intersection), A B = A B (union).

Let S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a subset of meet-semilattice P with distinct elements, and let f
be a function on P with complex values. Then the matrix [f (xi xj )]S is called the meet matrix
on S with respect to f . Similarly, for subset S of join-semilattice P , the matrix [f (xi xj )]S is
called the join matrix on S with respect to f . When P is the set of natural numbers , f is called
the arithmetical function, and matrices [f ((xi , xj ))]S and [f ([xi , xj ])]S are respectively called
the GCD matrix with respect to f and the LCM matrix with respect to f . All these matrices
are called Smiths matrices. Smiths matrices have been studied extensively (see [116]).
Subset S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } of poset P is said to be of quasi-linear order if i < j whenever
xi < xj , where xi < xj means that xi xj and xi = xj . It is well known that any nite subset
S of poset P can be rearranged to be of quasi-linear order.
Let S = {x1 , . . . , xn } be a subset of poset P . The function S,f is dened on S in [3]
inductively by
S,f (xm ) = f (xm )
or f (xm ) =

S,f (xk ),

(1.1)

xk <xm
xk S
xk xm
xk S

S,f (xk ).

Also, by the M
obius inversion formula (see [4]), one can obtain
S,f (xm ) =

f (xk )S (xk , xm ), (1 m n),

(1.2)

xk xm
xk S

where S is the Mobius function of S.

In what follows, we say that S is a meet-closed set which means that S is a meet-closed
subset of some meet-semilattice P or S itself is a meet-semilattice.
We rst state a determinant theorem of the meet matrix which appeared in Lindstrom [5],
Rajarama Bhat [3] and Wilf [6].
Let S = {x1 , . . . , xn } be a meet-closed set, and let f be any function on



S with complex values. Then det f (xi xj ) S = nm=1 S,f (xm ), where S,f (xm ) is defined

Theorem 1 [3,5,6]
in (1.1) or (1.2).

The proof of Theorem 1 can be reduced to showing the following structure formula:


f (xi xj )


S

= E diag(S,f (x1 ), . . . , S,f (xn ))E  ,

(1.3)

where the incidence matrix E is an nn matrix whose i, j entry is 1 if xj xi , and 0 otherwise.

Explicit Expressions of Smiths Determinant on a Poset

163

If it is assumed that S is a meet-closed subset of poset P with quasi-linear order, another

explicit expression of S,f can be obtained (Haukkanen [7]):
S,f (xm ) =

zxm
zxt
t<m

f (w)P (w, z),

(1.4)

wz

where P is the Mobius function of P .

Some special cases of (1.4) are included in the papers of Smith [8], Beslin and Ligh [9] and
Bourque and Ligh [10].
In general, it is not easy to nd simple expressions of S or P . In this paper, we will give
a direct explicit expression of Smiths determinant which does not involve the M
obius function
(S or P ).

Definition of the Meet-Function and Join-Function

Let P be a meet-semilattice and let f be any function on P with complex values. We introduce
a symmetric function of many variables f = f (y1 , . . . , yk ) on P by
f () = 0, f (y1 ) = f (y1 ), f (y1 , y2 ) = f (y1 ) + f (y2 ) f (y1 y2 ), . . . ,
f (y1 , . . . , yk ) =

k


(1)t1
t=1

Lemma 1

f (yi1 yit ).

1i1 <<it k

The symmetric function f has the following useful properties:

(i) f (y1 , . . . , yk ) = f (y1 , . . . , yk1 ) + f (yk ) f (y1 yk , . . . , yk1 yk );

(ii) If yk yi for some i < k, then f (y1 , . . . , yk ) = f (y1 , . . . , yk1 );
(iii) If {y1 , . . . , yk } = {z1 , . . . , zm }, then f (y1 , . . . , yk ) = f (z1 , . . . , zm ).
Proof

(i) Noting that yj1 yjs yk = (yj1 yk ) (yjs yk ), we have

f (y1 , . . . , yk ) =
=

k


(1)t1

1i1 <<it k

t=1

1i1 <<it k1

(1)t1

k


(1)t1

t=1
k1

f (yi1 yit )
f (yi1 yit ) + f (yk )

1i1 <<it k1

(1)s1

s=1

(1)t1

f (yi1 yit )

1i1 <<it1 <it =k

t=1
k1

f (yi1 yit )

t=1
k1

+
=

f (yj1 yjs yk )

1j1 <<js k1

f (y1 , . . . , yk1 ) + f (yk ) f (y1 yk , . . . , yk1 yk ).

(2.1)

B. Y. Wang

164

(ii) Since (yi yk ) = yk and yj yk yk , j = 1, . . . , k1, using simple induction, we obtain

f (y1 , . . . , yk ) = f (y1 , . . . , yk1 ) + f (yk )
f (y1 yk , . . . , yi1 yk , yk , yi+1 yk , . . . , yk1 yk )
= f (y1 , . . . , yk1 ) + f (yk ) f (yk )
= f (y1 , . . . , yk1 ).
(iii) This is trivial by (ii). For example, f (a, b, a, c, c) = f (a, b, c).
fS

Let S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a subset of meet-semilattice P . We dene the meet-function

on S by
fS (xi ) = f (xi ) f (x1 xi , . . . , xi1 xi ),

i = 1, . . . , n.

(2.2)

We see that fS (xi ) has an explicit expression which is linearly related to f , that is,
fS (xi ) = f (xi )

i1


(1)t1
t=1

f (xj1 xjt xi ).

(2.3)

1j1 <<jt i1

Also fS (xi ) = f (x1 , . . . , xi ) f (x1 , . . . , xi1 ).

The meet-function fS of S plays an important role in our study of Smiths matrices. Its

special case (f (x) = x1 ) has been used to show the singularity of LCM matrices on a gcd-closed
set (see [11]).
Furthermore, fS is also easily computable by Lemma 1.
Example 4

Consider S = {2, 4, 6, 8, 12}, with partial order by divisibility. Then

fS (2) = f (2); fS (4) = f (4) f (2);

fS (6) = f (6) f (2, 2) = f (6) f (2);
fS (8) = f (8) f (2, 4, 2) = f (8) f (4);
fS (12) = f (12) f (2, 4, 6, 4) = f (12)

f (4) f (6) + f (2).

Similarly, let P be a join-semilattice and let S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a subset of P . We

dene the join-function fS on S by
fS (xi ) = f (xi ) f (xi xi+1 , . . . , xi xn ),

i = 1, . . . , n,

(2.4)

f (yi1 yit ).

(2.5)

where the symmetric function f is dened on P by

f (y1 , . . . , yk ) =

k


(1)t1
t=1

1i1 <<it k

The symmetric function f also has properties similar to those of f .

Lemma 2

Let f be the symmetric function on P defined in (2.5).

(i) f (y1 , . . . , yk ) = f (y1 , . . . , yk1 ) + f (yk ) f (y1 yk , . . . , yk1 yk );

(ii) If yi yk for some i < k, then f (y1 , . . . , yk ) = f (y1 , . . . , yk1 );
(iii) If {y1 , . . . , yk } = {z1 , . . . , zm }, then f (y1 , . . . , yk ) = f (z1 , . . . , zm ).
We omit the proof of this lemma, as it is similar to the proof of Lemma 1.

Explicit Expressions of Smiths Determinant on a Poset

165

Let {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a chain with x1 < x2 < < xn . Then

S
f (x1 ) = f (x1 ), fS (xi ) = f (xi ) f (x1 , x2 , . . . , xi1 ) = f (xi ) f (xi1 ), i
fS (xi ) = f (xi ) f (xi+1 ), i = 1, . . . , n1, fS (xn ) = f (xn ).

Example 5

= 2, . . . , n,

Explicit Expressions

Now we give some explicit expressions of Smiths determinant using the meet-function and
join-function.
Theorem 2 Let S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a meet-closed set with quasi-linear order, and let f
be any function on S with complex values. Then
n



fS (xm ).
det f (xi xj ) S =

(3.1)

m=1

Proof

We rst prove the structure formula



f (xi xj ) S = EDE  ,

(3.2)

where E = (eij ), eij = 1 if xj xi , eij = 0 otherwise, and D = diag(fS (x1 ), . . . , fS (xn )).
Observe that S is meet-closed and of quasi-linear order; then for xi , xj S, there exists
xq S such that xi xj = xq .
We arrange {xk : xk xq , xk S} = {y1 , . . . , yt , . . . , yp } with quasi-linear order, then
yt yp = xq and
{y1 , . . . , yt , . . . , yp } = {x1 xq , x2 xq , . . . , xq xq }.

(3.3)

If yt is xed, then yt = xs for some xs S. It is easy to see from (3.3) that {y1 yt , . . . , yt1
yt } = {x1 xs , . . . , xs1 xs }. So by Lemma 1,
fS (yt ) = fS (xs ) = f (xs ) f (x1 xs , . . . , xs1 xs ) = f (yt ) f (y1 yt , . . . , yt1 yt ) =
f (y1 , . . . , yt ) f (y1 , . . . , yt1 ). Therefore
(EDE  )i,j

=
=

n


k=1
p


t=1

ei,k fS (xk )ej,k =

fS (yt ) =

p 

xk xi xj

fS (xk ) =

fS (xk )

xk xq

f (y1 , . . . , yt ) f (y1 , . . . , yt1 )

t=1

= f (y1 , . . . , yp ) = f (yp ) = f (xq ) = f (xi xj ).

This is (3.2). Note that E is a triangular matrix with diagonal elements 1, and we obtain (3.1).
The proof is completed.
Remark

Let S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a subset of meet-semilattice P . In general, S,f (xm )

dened in (1.1) or (1.2) is not equal to fS (xm ) dened in (2.2) or (2.3) even if S has quasilinear order. For example, for S = {4, 6}, and partial order by divisibility, S,f (6) = f (6)

B. Y. Wang

166

and fS (6) = f (6) f (2). But we can see from (1.3) and (3.2) that if S is meet-closed with
quasi-linear order then S,f = fS . In other words, we give an explicit expression of function
S,f when S is a meet-closed set (or a meet-semilattice).
The following theorem is dual to Theorem 2 and the proof is omitted.
Let S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a join-closed set with quasi-linear order, and let f


n
be any function on S with complex values. Then det f (xi xj ) S = m=1 fS (xm ).

Theorem 3

We can also obtain some other results included in [57] via the meet-function and joinfunction. Here we only state the results about the meet-function and omit the proof.
Theorem 4

Let T = {y1 , y2 , . . . , ym } be a meet-closed subset of poset P with quasi-linear

order containing S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn }, and f be any function on P with complex values. Then


f (xi xj ) S = F diag(fT (y1 ), . . . , fT (ym ))F  ,


det f (xi xj ) S =

det(F(k1 ,...,kn ) )2

n


fT (ykt ),

t=1

1k1 <<kn m

where F is an n m matrix whose i, j entry is 1 if yj xi , and 0 otherwise; F(k1 ,...,kn ) is the

submatrix of F which contains the columns 1 k1 < < kn m.
Theorem 5
1

f ,...,f

Let S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a meet-closed set with quasi-linear order, and let

be any functions on S with complex values. Then



f i (xi xj )


S

= GE  ,

n



det f i (xi xj ) S =
fm,S (xm ),
m=1

where E is the same as in (3.2), G = (gij ), gij = fi,S (xj ) if xj xi , and 0 otherwise,
fi,S (xj ) = f i (xj ) fi (x1 xj , . . . , xj1 xj ).

The following corollaries have appeared in some papers (see [2,12,13]). Here we use the
meet-function and join-function and make some improvements. And we will use f(S) , f[S] , f(S)

and fS to denote the meet-or join-functions corresponding to gcd, lcm, gcud and intersection.
Corollary 1

Let S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a chain with x1 < < xn . Then

n





f (xi ) f (xi1 ) ,
det f (xi xj ) S = f (x1 )
i=2

n1




f (xi ) f (xi+1 ) .
det f (xi xj ) S = f (xn )
i=1

Proof

Corollary 1 is a direct consequence of Example 5 by Theorems 2 and 3.

Corollary 2

Let S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a set of distinct positive integers with x1 < < xn ,

and f be any arithmetical function.



n
(i) If S is gcd-closed, then det f ((xi , xj )) S = m=1 f(S) (xm ).

Explicit Expressions of Smiths Determinant on a Poset

167




(ii) If S is lcm-closed, then det f ([xi , xj ]) S = nm=1 f[S] (xm ).


n
(iii) If S is gcud-closed, then det f ((xi , xj ) ) S = m=1 f(S) (xm ).
Proof

These are special cases of Theorems 2 and 3.

An arithmetical function is said to be quasi-multiplicative if there exists a non-zero complex

constant c such that f (x)f (y) = cf (xy) whenever (x, y) = 1 (see e.g. [2]). It can be veried
that every quasi-multiplicative function f satises f ((x, y))f ([x, y]) = f (x)f (y) for all x, y .
Corollary 3

Let S = {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } be a set of distinct positive integers with x1 < < xn ,

and let f be a quasi-multiplicative function with f (x) = 0 for all x . Define an arithmetical
function h by h(x) =

1
f (x) .



n
(i) If S is gcd-closed, then det f ([xi , xj ]) S = m=1 f (xm )2 hS( ) (xm ).



(ii) If S is lcm-closed, then det f ((xi , xj )) S = nm=1 f (xm )2 hS[ ] (xm ).






f (x )f (xj )
Proof (i) By Corollary 2(i) we have det f ([xi , xj ]) S = det f ((xi i ,xj ))
= det h((xi , xj )) S
S
n
n
2
2 S
m=1 f (xm ) =
m=1 f (xm ) h( ) (xm ).
The proof of (ii) is similar.

Positive (Nonnegative) Meet-Function

In this section, we will demonstrate several examples included in [3] and [14] via the meetfunction.
It is known that the main submatrix of a positive denite matrix is positive denite, and
similarly for a positive semidenite matrix. Therefore by Theorem 2, if a real valued function
f is such that meet-function fT > 0 ( 0) for every nite meet-closed subset T of poset P with
distinct elements and quasi-linear order, or any subset T with distinct elements and quasi-linear


order, then the matrix f (xi xj ) S is positive denite (positive semidenite) for any nite
subset S of P with distinct elements.

We recall two results of the principle of inclusion and exclusion.

1. Let A1 , . . . , Ak be subsets of set A, f a weight function on A, and f (Ai ) =


xAi

f (x).

Then by the inclusion-exclusion principle [4, pp. 157158],



k
k



Ai = f (A)
(1)t1
f A
t=1

i=1

f (Ai1 Ait ).

(4.1)

1i1 <<it k

2. Let y1 , . . . , yk be some divisors of positive integer m. Then by the inclusion-exclusion

principle [15, pp. 7576], the number of integers between 1 and m that are divisible by none of
y1 , . . . , yk equals
m

k


(1)t1
t=1

Example 6

1i1 <<it k

m
.
[yi1 , . . . , yit ]

(4.2)

Let S = {B1 , . . . , Bn } be the set of subsets of set Q, with partial order by

B. Y. Wang

168

A B. Suppose f is a nonnegative weight function on Q, and f (Bi ) =

(4.1) we have

fS (Bm )

= f (Bm ) f (B1 Bm , . . . , Bm1 Bm ) = f Bm



Therefore the matrix f (Bi Bj ) S is positive semidenite.
Example 7

m1
i=1


xBi

f (x). Then by


(Bi Bm )

0.

Let S = {x1 , . . . , xn } be the set of distinct positive integers with x1 < < xn ,

partial order by divisibility, and f (x) = x. Then f(S) (x1 ) = x1 > 0. For m 2, setting


xm
xm xm
m
= [yxi ,y
, we have
(xi ,xm ) = yi , i = 1, . . . , m1, then yi |xm , yi = 1. Noting that
yi , yj
j]
f(S) (xm ) =
=

xm f( ) ( (x1 , xm ), . . . , (xm1 , xm ) ) = xm f( )
xm

m1

t=1

1i1 <<it m1

(1)t1

xm
xm
y1 , . . . , ym1

xm
.
[yi1 , . . . , yit ]

By (4.2) we obtain f(S) (xm ) 1 since yi | 1, i = 1, . . . , m1.



Therefore the matrix (xi , xj ) S is positive denite.
Let S = {x1 , . . . , xn } be the set of distinct positive real numbers. Then by


Corollary 1 we obtain that the matrix min{xi , xj } S is positive denite; and also the matrix


1
max{xi ,xj } S is positive denite.
Example 8

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