OFFSET
15,1
FORMULA
For n<=18 an optimal choice and arrangement is of the following form det((n, 6, 2, n-8), (3, n-1, 4, n-5), (n-7, n-6, n-2, 0), (5, 1, n-4, n-3))= 3*n^4-62*n^3+543*n^2-2128*n+3120. For n>18 up to the limit investigated (n<=26) one choice maximizing the determinant is det((n, 6, 2, n-8), (3, n-1, 4, n-5), (n-7, n-6, n-3, 0), (5, 1, n-2, n-4))= 3*n^4-60*n^3+491*n^2-1821*n+2624. In both cases there are 575 other equivalent arrangements corresponding to permutations of rows and columns.
EXAMPLE
a(18)=94092 because no 4 X 4 matrix b(j,k) with distinct elements 0<=b(j,k)<=18,j=1..4,k=1..4 can be built that has a larger determinant than
det((18,6,2,10),(3,17,4,13),(11,12,16,0),(5,1,14,15))=94092.
CROSSREFS
KEYWORD
more,nonn
AUTHOR
Hugo Pfoertner, Aug 24 2004
STATUS
approved