Intervertex distances in convex polygons (Q1894358)

Let \(V\) be the set of vertices of a convex \(n\)-gon in the plane. Denote by \(d_1, \ldots, d_m\) the different positive distances between the points of \(V\), and by \(r_k\) the multiplicity of \(d_k\). Choose the numbering such that \(r_1 \geq r_2 \geq \cdots \geq r_m\). For fixed \(n\), the maximum of \(r_i\) over all convex \(n\)-gons is denoted by \(r_i (n)\). The values of \(r_1 (n)\) and \(r_2 (n)\) are known for \(n \leq 8\). In particular we have \(r_2 (n) \leq n\) in this case. Here a construction is presented which shows \(r_2 (25) \geq 26\) and \(\sup_n r_2 (n)/n \geq 7/6\). A monotone sequence in \(V\) from \(v_0\) is a sequence of vertices \(v_0, v_1, \ldots, v_k\) in which the \(v_i\) are encountered in succession going (counter-)clockwise from \(v_0\), such that the distance from \(v_0\) to \(v_i\) is strictly increasing. Let \(g(n)\) denote the minimum (over all convex \(n\)-gons) of the maximum length of monotone sequences. In a previous paper, the authors have shown \(\lfloor n/3 \rfloor + 1 \leq g(n)\). Here, \(g(n) \leq \lceil n/3 \rceil + 2\) is proved.