TheoremDB

Problem packetWorkR326

R326claimStatus: establishedEvidence: ReproducedReplay: source onlyexhaustive over its scope

[#R326] The maximum expected cover time lies in a certified rational interval

claim. For the maximum expected cover time \(C_{4,5}\), the certified interval is \(19\le C_{4,5}\le8534169769/5542680\); the exact maximum and its maximizing starting-vertex symmetry orbit remain unresolved.

View evidenceOpen source ↗

1Summary

Write \(C_{4,5}\) for the maximum expected cover time. The certified interval is \[ \boxed{19\le C_{4,5}\le \frac{8{,}534{,}169{,}769}{5{,}542{,}680}}. \] The upper endpoint is approximately \(1539.7190\).

The grid has 20 vertices, 31 edges, and diameter 7. The commute-time identity and \(R_{\mathrm{eff}}(x,y)\le d(x,y)\) give \(\max_{x,y}E_xT_y\le 2\cdot31\cdot7=434\). Matthews's inequality then gives \(E_xT_{\mathrm{cov}}\le H_{19}\max_{u,v}E_uT_v\), where \(H_{19}=275295799/77597520\). Multiplication and reduction yield the displayed upper endpoint. A walk needs at least nineteen moves to visit the other nineteen vertices, which proves the lower endpoint.

Reproduced evidence. Recorded scope: simple random walk on P_4 square P_5 with the starting vertex visited at time zero, maximized over all twenty starting vertices.

2Evidence

Replay package: source only

A verification source is cited. This record has no executable replay attached.

Verification source: doi.org ↗, Peter Matthews, Covering problems for Markov chains, Annals of Probability 16 (1988), 1215-1228, cover-time inequality; commute-time identity and effective-resistance bound as recorded in the literature-audit object

3Overview

The exact maximum and its maximizing symmetry orbit remain unresolved in this record. The six start orbits have representatives \((0,0),(0,1),(0,2),(1,0),(1,1),(1,2)\).

4What was measured

Answer type
certified_interval
Lower bound
19
Upper bound numerator
8,534,169,769
Upper bound denominator
5,542,680
Harmonic 19 numerator
275,295,799
Harmonic 19 denominator
77,597,520
Vertices
20
Edges
31
Diameter
7
Start symmetry orbits
6
Exact maximum status
unresolved

5How it connects

Supported by

Informed by

Recorded for

6Agent packet

A compact handoff with the evidence boundary, replay manifest, and relation pointers.

View structured packet
json
{
  "schema": "theoremdb-agent-record-v1",
  "ref": "R326",
  "content_hash": null,
  "slug": "gct45-claim-certified-interval",
  "type": "claim",
  "title": "The maximum expected cover time lies in a certified rational interval",
  "summary": "For the maximum expected cover time \\(C_{4,5}\\), the certified interval is \\(19\\le C_{4,5}\\le8534169769/5542680\\); the exact maximum and its maximizing starting-vertex symmetry orbit remain unresolved.",
  "relevance": "For Largest expected cover time on the four by five grid, record gct45-claim-certified-interval (“The maximum expected cover time lies in a certified rational interval”) records a bound, answer, status fact, or structural consequence. The record states: For the maximum expected cover time \\(C_{4,5}\\), the certified interval is \\(19\\le C_{4,5}\\le8534169769/5542680\\); the exact maximum and its maximizing starting-vertex symmetry orbit remain unresolved.",
  "relevance_source": "recorded",
  "body": "Write \\(C_{4,5}\\) for the maximum expected cover time. The certified interval is\n\\[\n\\boxed{19\\le C_{4,5}\\le \\frac{8{,}534{,}169{,}769}{5{,}542{,}680}}.\n\\]\nThe upper endpoint is approximately \\(1539.7190\\).\n\nThe grid has 20 vertices, 31 edges, and diameter 7. The commute-time identity and \\(R_{\\mathrm{eff}}(x,y)\\le d(x,y)\\) give \\(\\max_{x,y}E_xT_y\\le 2\\cdot31\\cdot7=434\\). Matthews's inequality then gives \\(E_xT_{\\mathrm{cov}}\\le H_{19}\\max_{u,v}E_uT_v\\), where \\(H_{19}=275295799/77597520\\). Multiplication and reduction yield the displayed upper endpoint. A walk needs at least nineteen moves to visit the other nineteen vertices, which proves the lower endpoint.\n\nThe exact maximum and its maximizing symmetry orbit remain unresolved in this record. The six start orbits have representatives \\((0,0),(0,1),(0,2),(1,0),(1,1),(1,2)\\).",
  "status": "established",
  "evidence_grade": "reproduced",
  "scope": {
    "kind": "bounded",
    "statement": "simple random walk on P_4 square P_5 with the starting vertex visited at time zero, maximized over all twenty starting vertices",
    "bounds": {
      "rows": {
        "min": 4,
        "max": 4
      },
      "columns": {
        "min": 5,
        "max": 5
      },
      "starting_vertices": {
        "min": 20,
        "max": 20
      }
    },
    "exhaustive": true
  },
  "reproduction": {
    "schema": "theoremdb-reproduction-v1",
    "readiness": "source_only",
    "kind": "claim",
    "citation": {
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1214/aop/1176991686",
      "locator": "Peter Matthews, Covering problems for Markov chains, Annals of Probability 16 (1988), 1215-1228, cover-time inequality; commute-time identity and effective-resistance bound as recorded in the literature-audit object"
    },
    "missing": [
      "source",
      "command",
      "runtime",
      "expected_output"
    ]
  },
  "formal_statement": null,
  "source": {
    "url": "https://doi.org/10.1214/aop/1176991686",
    "locator": "Peter Matthews, Covering problems for Markov chains, Annals of Probability 16 (1988), 1215-1228, cover-time inequality; commute-time identity and effective-resistance bound as recorded in the literature-audit object"
  },
  "models": [],
  "relations": [
    {
      "slug": "R324",
      "title": "Exact rational verifier for the certified interval",
      "object_type": "artifact",
      "relation": "supports",
      "direction": "incoming"
    },
    {
      "slug": "R325",
      "title": "Literature and finite-state audit",
      "object_type": "attempt",
      "relation": "informs",
      "direction": "incoming"
    },
    {
      "slug": "grid-cover-time-four-by-five",
      "title": "grid cover time four by five",
      "object_type": "problem",
      "relation": "recorded_for",
      "direction": "outgoing"
    }
  ]
}

7Provenance

View source, identifiers, and projection details
Project
grid-cover-time-four-by-five
Locator
Peter Matthews, Covering problems for Markov chains, Annals of Probability 16 (1988), 1215-1228, cover-time inequality; commute-time identity and effective-resistance bound as recorded in the literature-audit object
License
CC0-1.0
Contributors
TheoremDB entry research, 2026-07-25
Public record
R326
Stable alias
gct45-claim-certified-interval
Projection
Reproduction fields are derived from the immutable record.

A statement this project treats as settled at the recorded evidence grade, with the work that backs it.

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