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arXiv · 0905.0461

On the singularity probability of discrete random matrices

Jean Bourgain·Van Vu·Philip Matchett Wood
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Abstract

Let $M_n$ be an $n$ by $n$ random matrix where each entry is +1 or -1 independently with probability 1/2. Our main result implies that the probability that $M_n$ is singular is at most $(1/\sqrt{2} + o(1))^n$, improving on the previous best upper bound of $(3/4 + o(1))^n$ proven by Tao and Vu in arXiv:math/0501313v2. This paper follows a similar approach to the Tao and Vu result, including using a variant of their structure theorem. We also extend this type of exponential upper bound on the probability that a random matrix is singular to a large class of discrete random matrices taking values in the complex numbers, where the entries are independent but are not necessarily identically distributed.

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Jean Bourgain, Van Vu, Philip Matchett Wood. 2009-05-04. On the singularity probability of discrete random matrices. https://arxiv.org/abs/0905.0461

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