Suppose $X\subset \mathrm{GL}\_n(p)$ is a set of invertible matrices such that for every $A,B\in X$ then also $A-B\in \mathrm{GL}\_n(p)\cup \{0\}$. (If anyone knows a name for such sets I would be grateful).


I was trying to figure out what is the size of the largest such $X$. Since $\mathbb{F}\_{p^n}$ can be embedded in $\mathrm{GL}\_n(p)\cup \{0\}$ then obviously the size is at least $p^n-1$.


My interest in this question was motivated from a computer science question (ideal secret sharing schemes), and from there it appears that $p^n-1$ must also be the upper bound.


I was wondering if anyone knows a more direct way of showing that this holds (something more algebraic or direct combinatorial arguments).



Largest subset of $GL_n(p)$ in which pairwise subtraction is also in $GL_n(p)$
The upper bound can be obtained as follows: Fix a nonzero vector $v$ from $\mathbb F\_p^n$. Then the vectors $Bv$ for $B\in X$ are pairwise distinct and nonzero, for if $Bv=B'v$, then $B-B'$ is not invertible. Thus the map $X\to\mathbb F\_p^n\setminus\{0\}$, $B\mapsto Bv$ is injective, hence $\lvert X\rvert\leq p^n-1$.


Your sets with $\lvert X\rvert=p^n-1$ do have a name, they are called *spreadsets* and they are closely related to finite translation planes. See [here](http://www.math.uni-kiel.de/geometrie/klein/math/geometry/spreadset.html).


