On a generalization of the Gallai-Sylvester theorem (Q1186085): Difference between revisions

Let \(S\) be a finite spanning set of the real affine space \(\mathbb{R}^ d\), let \(k\geq 2\), and assume that every hyperplane spanned by a subset of \(S\) misses less than \(k\) points of \(S\). The author proves that \(| S|\leq kd/2+1\) if \(d\) is even, and that \(| S|\leq k(d+1)/2\) if \(d\) is odd. Furthermore he characterizes the sets \(S\) which achieve equality. For \(d=2\), one has \(| S|\leq k+1\), hence some line contains precisely two points of \(S\); this is the well-known Sylvester-Gallai theorem [cp. \textit{L. M. Kelly}, ibid. 1, 101-104 (1986; Zbl 0593.51002)]. For odd dimensions \(d\), the field \(\mathbb{R}\) may be replaced by an arbitrary field. For even dimensions, in fact for \(d=2\), there are counterexamples, obtained from finite fields. However, a result of Hirzebruch implies that \(| S|\leq k+2\) for \(d=2\) and all fields of characteristic zero.