An extended Euler-Poincaré theorem (Q1117466)

The Euler-Poincaré theorem is a linear relation between the face-vector f and the Betti sequence b of a finite simplicial d-dimensional complex. In the paper a set s of d nonlinear relations is stated which are satisfied by f and b. It is shown that the Euler-Poincaré relation and s completely characterize pairs (f,b) which arise as f-vectors and Betti sequences of finite simplicial complexes. Related results are discussed, too. [Cf. the first author, Proc. Int. Congr. Math., Berkeley/Calif. 1986, Vol. 2, 1408-1418 (1987), and \textit{R. Stanley}, Discrete geometry and convexity. Proc. Conf., New York 1982, Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 440, 212-223 (1985; Zbl 0573.52008)].