Prove that a matrix can be written as a sum of permutation matrices

birkhoff-polytopeslinear algebramatricespermutation-matricesstochastic-matrices

Given a square matrix $A$ of size $n$ whose entries are non-negative integers and where the sum of each column and row is equal to $k$, prove that $A$ can be written as a sum of $k$ permutation matrices.


First, it is obvious to see that a sum o $k$ permutation matrices will result in a matrix where the rows and columns sums to $k$. By Birkhoff's theorem, any doubly stochastic matrix can be written as a linear combination of permutation matrices,

$$\frac{1}{k}A = \sum_{i=1}^{r}{c_i P_i}$$

$$A = k \left(\sum_{i=1}^{r}{c_i P_i}\right)$$

where $c_i > 0$ is a real coefficient and $P_i$ is a permutation matrix. However, my solution can have more than $k$ permutation matrices (because the $c_i$ can be less than $1$) and each one with a real coefficient and question asks for just a sum of $k$ permutation matrices (so $c_i = 1$).


Some related questions that guided me:

  1. Characterizing sums of permutation matrices

  2. Is it possible to solve for values in a matrix such that all rows and columns have equal sum?

  3. Prove the existence of a permutation for a matrix

Best Answer

You can use induction on $k$. The base case $k=1$ is clear. If $k>1$, then by Birkhoff's theorem you cited (or by Hall's marriage lemma), there is some permutation matrix $P$ so that $P_{ij}>0$ implies $A_{ij}>0$ (any $P$ that is part of the Birkhoff decomposition of $A/k$ will do.) For this $P$, the $n \times n$ matrix $A-P$ has non-negative integer entries, and the sum of each column and row of $A-P$ is equal to $k-1$.By the inductive hypothesis, $A-P$ can be written as a sum of $k-1$ permutation matrices, whence $A$ can be written as a sum of $k$ permutation matrices.

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