Examples

Here we give some simple examples that display some of the functionality of `Forms`.

A conic of PG(2,8)

Consider the three-dimensional vector space V := V(3,GF(8)) = GF(8)^3V := V(3,GF(8)), and consider the following quadratic polynomial in 3 variables: x_1^2+x_2x_3. x<sub>1</sub><sup>2</sup>+x<sub>2</sub>x<sub>3</sub>. Then this polynomial defines a quadratic form on V and the zeros form a conic of the associated projective plane. So in particular, our quadratic form defines a degenerate parabolic quadric of Witt Index 1. We will see now how we can use `Forms` to view this example. gap> gf := GF(8); GF(2^3) gap> vec := gf^3; ( GF(2^3)^3 ) gap> r := PolynomialRing( gf, 3); PolynomialRing(..., [ x_1, x_2, x_3 ]) gap> poly := r.1^2 + r.2 * r.3; x_1^2+x_2*x_3 gap> form := QuadraticFormByPolynomial( poly, r ); < quadratic form > gap> Display( form ); Quadratic form Gram Matrix: 1 . . . . 1 . . . Polynomial: x_1^2+x_2*x_3 gap> IsDegenerateForm( form ); #I Testing degeneracy of the *associated bilinear form* true gap> IsSingularForm( form ); false gap> WittIndex( form ); 1 gap> IsParabolicForm( form ); true gap> RadicalOfForm( form ); <vector space over GF(2^3), with 0 generators> Now our conic is stabilised by a group isomorphic to GO(3,8), but not identical to the group returned by the GAP command GO(3,8). However, our conic is the canonical conic given in `Forms`. gap> canonical := IsometricCanonicalForm( form ); < parabolic quadratic form > gap> form = canonical; true So we ``change forms''... gap> go := GO(3,8); GO(0,3,8) gap> mat := InvariantQuadraticForm( go )!.matrix; [ [ Z(2)^0, 0*Z(2), 0*Z(2) ], [ 0*Z(2), 0*Z(2), 0*Z(2) ], [ 0*Z(2), Z(2)^0, 0*Z(2) ] ] gap> gapform := QuadraticFormByMatrix( mat, GF(8) ); < quadratic form > gap> b := BaseChangeToCanonical( gapform ); [ [ Z(2)^0, 0*Z(2), 0*Z(2) ], [ 0*Z(2), Z(2)^0, 0*Z(2) ], [ 0*Z(2), 0*Z(2), Z(2)^0 ] ] gap> hom := BaseChangeHomomorphism( b, GF(8) ); ^[ [ Z(2)^0, 0*Z(2), 0*Z(2) ], [ 0*Z(2), Z(2)^0, 0*Z(2) ], [ 0*Z(2), 0*Z(2), Z(2)^0 ] ] gap> newgo := Image(hom, go); Group( [ [ [ Z(2)^0, 0*Z(2), 0*Z(2) ], [ 0*Z(2), Z(2^3), 0*Z(2) ], [ 0*Z(2), 0*Z(2), Z(2^3)^6 ] ], [ [ Z(2)^0, 0*Z(2), 0*Z(2) ], [ Z(2)^0, Z(2)^0, Z(2)^0 ], [ 0*Z(2), Z(2)^0, 0*Z(2) ] ] ]) Now we look at the action of our new GO(3,8) on the conic. gap> conic := Filtered(vec, x -> IsZero( x^form ));; gap> Size(conic); 64 gap> orbs := Orbits(newgo, conic, OnRight);; gap> List(orbs,Size); [ 1, 63 ] So we see that there is a fixed point, which is actually the nucleus of the conic, or in other words, the radical of the form.
A form for W(5,3)
The symplectic polar space W(5,q) is defined by an alternating reflexive bilinear form on the six-dimensional vector space GF(q)^6GF(q)<sup>6</sup>. Any invertible 6 \times 6 matrix A which satisfies A+A^T=0A+A<sup>T</sup>=0 is a candidate for the Gram matrix of a symplectic polarity. The canonical form we adopt in `Forms` for an alternating form is f(x,y)=x_1y_2-x_2y_1+x_3y_4-x_4y_3\cdots+x_{2n-1}y_{2n}-x_{2n}y_{2n-1}. f(x,y)=x<sub>1</sub>y<sub>2</sub><font face="symbol">-</font >x<sub>2</sub>y<sub>1</sub>+x<sub>3</sub>y<sub>4</sub><font face="symbol">-</font >x<sub>4</sub>y<sub>3</sub>+ ... +x<sub>2n<font face="symbol">-</font >1</sub>y<sub>2n</sub><font face="symbol">-</font >x<sub>2n</sub>y<sub>2n<font face="symbol">-</font >1</sub> <#Include SYSTEM "../examples/include/w53.include">
What is the form preserved by this group?
Here we start with a matrix group which is available in GAP, namely GO(5,5). We then conjugate this group by an element of GL(5,5), and then we find the forms left invariant by this copy of GO(5,5) (which we expect to be a symmetric bilinear form). <#Include SYSTEM "../examples/include/preservedform.include">