This dissertation is concerned with the existence and the isomorphism of designs. The first part studies the existence of designs. Chapter I shows how to obtain a design from a difference family. Chapters II to IV study the existence of an affine 3-(p^m,4,λ) design where the v-set is the Galois field GF(p^m). Associated to each prime p, this paper constructs a graph. If the graph has a 1-factor, then a difference family and hence an affine design exists. The question arises of how to determine when the graph has a 1-factor. It is not hard to see that the graph is connected and of even order. Tutte's theorem shows that if the graph is 2-connected and regular of degree three, then the graph has a 1-factor. By using the concept of quadratic reciprocity, this paper shows that if p Ξ 53 or 77 (mod 120), the graph is almost regular of degree three, i.e., every vertex has degree three, except two vertices each have degree tow. Adding an extra edge joining the two vertices with degree tow gives a regular graph of degree three. Also, Tutte proved that if A is an edge of the graph satisfying the above conditions, …

A set-theoretical point of view to study algebraic numbers has been introduced. We extend a result of Navarro-Bermudez concerning shift invariant measures in the Cantor space which are topologically equivalent to shift invariant measures which correspond to some algebraic integers. It is known that any transcendental numbers and rational numbers in the unit interval are not binomial. We proved that there are algebraic numbers of degree greater than two so that they are binomial numbers. Algebraic integers of degree 2 are proved not to be binomial numbers. A few compositive relations having to do with algebraic numbers on the unit interval have been studied; for instance, rationally related, integrally related, binomially related, B1-related relations. A formula between binomial numbers and binomial coefficients has been stated. A generalized algebraic equation related to topologically equivalent measures has also been stated.

Every continuous convex function defined on a separable Banach space is Gateaux differentiable on a dense G^ subset of the space E [Mazur]. Suppose we are given a sequence (xn) that Is dense in E. Can we always find a Gateaux differentiable point x such that x = z^=^anxn.for some sequence (an) with infinitely many non-zero terms so that Ση∞=1||anxn|| < co ? According to this paper, such points are called of "simple type," and shown to be dense in E. Mazur's theorem follows directly from the result and Rybakov's theorem (A countably additive vector measure F: E -* X on a cr-field is absolutely continuous with respect to |x*F] for some x* e Xs) can be shown without deep measure theoretic Involvement.

The problem under consideration is that of determining a simple and effective invariant of knots. To this end, the Conway polynomial is defined as a generalization of Alexander's original knot polynomial. It is noted, however, that the Conway polynomial is not a complete invariant. If two knots are equivalent, as defined in this investigation, then they receive identical polynomials. Yet, if two knots have identical polynomials, no information about their equivalence may be obtained. To define the Conway polynomial, the Axioms for Computation are given and many examples of their use are included. A major result of this investigation is the proof of topological invariance of these polynomials and the proof that the axioms are sufficient for the calculation of the knot polynomial for any given knot or link.

The purpose of this paper is to examine properties of the mean integral. The mean integral is compared with the regular integral. If [a;b] is an interval, f is quasicontinuous on [a;b] and g has bounded variation on [a;b], then the man integral of f with respect to g exists on [a;b]. The following theorem is proved. If [a*;b*] and [a;b] each is an interval and h is a function from [a*;b*] into R, then the following two statements are equivalent: 1) If f is a function from [a;b] into [a*;b*], gi is a function from [a;b] into R with bounded variation and (m)∫^b_afdg exists then (m)∫^b_ah(f)dg exists. 2) h is continuous.

The method of dual steepest descent is used to solve ordinary differential equations with nonlinear boundary conditions. A general boundary condition is B(u) = 0 where where B is a continuous functional on the nth order Sobolev space Hn[0.1J. If F:HnCO,l] —• L2[0,1] represents a 2 differential equation, define *(u) = 1/2 IIF < u) li and £(u) = 1/2 l!B(u)ll2. Steepest descent is applied to the functional 2 £ a * + £. Two special cases are considered. If f:lR —• R is C^(2), a Type I boundary condition is defined by B(u) = f(u(0),u(1)). Given K: [0,1}xR—•and g: [0,1] —• R of bounded variation, a Type II boundary condition is B(u) = ƒ1/0K(x,u(x))dg(x).