ABSTRACT
We develop a new general method for constructing a polynomial ideal that has the same radical as a given monomial ideal, but has fewer generators. This provides upper bounds for the arithmetical rank of monomial ideals. An explicit formula is given for ideals generated by squarefree monomials of degree 2.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author was partially supported by PRIN Algebra Commutativa e Computazionale, Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research.
Communicated by I. Swanson.