Solution of the basic problems of discrete geometry on the plane (Q4517795)

Discrete geometry and geometry of numbers are two geometric disciplines that have a sufficiently large intersection. The problems about disposition of points and figures in a space are referred to discrete geometry. The same problems are accepted in the geometry of numbers when they are somehow connected with point lattices in \(n\)-dimensional Euclidean space. The majority of successes in the basic problems of discrete geometry for \(n>2\) occur when the problems can be reduced to problems in the geometry of numbers and solved in this context. The case \(n=2\) is sharply distinguished from the common case by the fact that the problems of densest packing of equal balls, thinnest covering of equal balls and enumeration of all polyhedra are solved immediately within the framework of discrete geometry. In this case all theories and concepts that accompany the solutions of the mentioned problems are easier and more obvious than for \(n>2\). These circumstances have induced the writing of this paper. This paper is a summary of a terminal course of lectures by the first author. Solutions to a number of basic problems of discrete geometry on the plane e.g. locally finite tilings, point systems, \(L\)-tilings, DV-tilings, lattices, frames, positive definite quadratic forms, parallelohedra, periodic dispositions, densest packing, thinnest covering densities, packing of equal balls, densest packing of equal disks and thinnest covering by equal disks etc. are discussed in this paper. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0935.00033].