Finite linear spaces and projective planes (Q1055005)

A nondegenerate finite linear space (NLS) is defined such that every two points occur in a unique line, every line contains \(\geq2\) points, and no line contains all but one of the points. The number of lines and of points are, respectively, called \(b\) and \(v\). \textit{N.G.de Bruijn} and \textit{P.Erdős} [Indag. Math. 10, 1277-1279 (1948; Zbl 0032.24405)] have shown that \(b\geq v\) holds in an NLS, with equality iff the NLS is a projective plane. In the paper under review, the authors show that in an NLS with \(v\geq 5\) one has \(b\geq B(v)\) where \[ B(v)=\begin{cases} n^2+n+1 &\text{ if } n^2+2\leq v\leq n^2+n+1\\ n^2+n &\text{ if } n^2-n+3\leq v\leq n^2+1\\ n^2+n-1 &\text{ if } v=n^2-n+2,\end{cases} \] with equality if n is the order of a projective plane. Moreover, minimal NLS's (that is, if no NLS on v points has fewer lines) and their embeddability in projective planes are studied. The paper concludes with a few open problems.