THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES DEPARTMENT OF PURE MATHEMATICS _________________DEPARTMENTAL SEMINAR__________________ Speaker: Dr. Thomas Britz (UNSW) Title: Why it is useful to study linear algebra combinatorially Date: Tuesday, 12 August 2008 Time: 12:00 noon Venue: RC-3084, The Red Centre, UNSW Abstract: Almost a century ago, the study of the Four Colour Problem drove mathematicians to study linear algebra in terms of combinatorial properties. Matrices and projective spaces were thus replaced by more abstract objects, known as matroids, and it turned out that these matroids not only generalised parts of linear algebra but also large parts of graph theory, matching theory, and many other areas. In this talk, I will present several ways in which classical results from coding theory may be generalized with respect to matroids. To illustrate why these generalizations are interesting, I will show applications to designs, graphs, some big polynomials, and an interesting dual identity. The talk is intended for a general audience. Enquiries to Jonathan Kress, 9385 7078, j.kress@unsw.edu.au