No label defined (Q4221561)

The author discusses the possible numbers of selfintersection points of an \(n\)-gon in the plane. As he points out, these results are old and several times rediscovered; it is his aim to trace the history of this problem, the published proofs, and the errors in these proofs to `(\(\ldots\)) serve as a warning about the frequency with which writers practice sloppy thinking -- and so sometimes establish fallacies as facts'. The correct answer is that the maximum number of selfintersection points of an \(n\)-gon in the plane is \({1\over 2}n(n-3)\) for odd \(n\), and \({1\over 2}n(n-4) +1\) for even \(n\), and all numbers up to the maximum are realizable, with the only exception of \({1\over 2} n (n-3) -1\) for odd \(n\).