Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4624916 Advances in Applied Mathematics 2013 21 Pages PDF
Abstract

Let M be a 3-connected binary matroid and let n be an integer exceeding 2. Ding, Oporowski, Oxley, and Vertigan proved that there is an integer f(n) so that if |E(M)|>f(n), then M has a minor isomorphic to one of the rank-n wheel, the rank-n tipless binary spike, or the cycle or bond matroid of K3,n. This result was recently extended by Chun, Oxley, and Whittle to show that there is an integer g(n) so that if |E(M)|>g(n) and x∈E(M), then x is an element of a minor of M isomorphic to one of the rank-n wheel, the rank-n binary spike with a tip and a cotip, or the cycle or bond matroid of K1,1,1,n. In this paper, we prove that, for each i in {2,3}, there is an integer hi(n) so that if |E(M)|>hi(n) and Z is an i-element rank-2 subset of M, then M has a minor from the last list whose ground set contains Z.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Mathematics Applied Mathematics