The uniqueness of a certain generalized octagon of order \((2, 4)\) (Q2515552)

Generalized \(2d\)-gons were introduced by J. Tits. A generalized \(2d\)-gon is said to have order \((s,t)\) if every line has \(s+1\) points and every point is incident with \(t+1\) lines. A generalized \(2d\)-gon is called thick when every line contains at least three points and every point is incident with at least three lines. Finite thick generalized \(2d\)-gons can only exist when \(d\in \{2,3,4\}\). Generalized 8-gons are called generalized octagons. There is one class of finite thick generalized octagons known, called the Ree-Tits octagons. There exists a unique type of generalized octagons \(\mathrm{GO}(2,1)\), of order \((2,1)\). The author addresses the question regarding the uniqueness of the generalized octagons of order \((2,4)\). He proves that the Ree-Tits octagons \(\mathrm{RT}(2,4)\) of order \((2,4)\) are, up to isomorphism, the unique generalized octagons of order \((2,4)\), containing a suboctagon of order \((2,1)\). He achieves this result via a computer-assisted proof, and the theory of polygonal valuations which was developed by the author in [ibid. 313, No. 1, 84--93 (2013; Zbl 1268.51005)].