Minimal 2-fold coverings of \({\mathbf E}^ d\) (Q1360281)

Let \(N(k,d)\) be the smallest positive integer \(N\) such that given any collection of open halfspaces which \(k\)-fold covers \(E^d\), there exists a subcollection of cardinality at most \(N\) which also \(k\)-fold covers \(E^d\). The author proves the inequality \[ N(k,d)\leq N(k-1,d) + d{N(k-1,d)\choose{k-1}} \] which shows that \(N(k,d)\) is well defined as a finite number. It is not difficult to show that \(N(1,d) = d+1\), and the main result of the paper is the equality \(N(2,d) = \lfloor ((d+3)/2)^2 \rfloor\).