On the non-existence of some Steiner $t$-$(v,k)$ trades of certain volumes

Abstract

Mahmoodian and Soltankhah $\cite{MMS}$ conjectured that there does not exist any $t$-$(v,k)$ trade of volume $s_i<s<s_{i+1}$, where $s_i=2^{t+1}-2^{t-i},i=0,1,...,t-1$. Also they showed that the conjecture is true for $i=0$. In this paper we prove the correctness of this conjecture for Steiner trades.

7 pages. to appear in Utilitas Mathematica