Tolerance in Helly-type theorems (Q629843)

Let \({\mathcal U}\) be a family of sets and let \({\mathcal P}\) be any property closed under inclusions for subsets of \({\mathcal U}\). Helly-type theorems \(({\mathcal U}, {\mathcal P}, \mu)\) are of the form ``if every subset of cardinality \(\mu\) of a finite family \({\mathcal F}\subset {\mathcal U}\) has property \({\mathcal P}\), then the entire family \({\mathcal F}\) has the property \({\mathcal P}\).'' The authors introduce the following notion of \textit{tolerance} in Helly-type theorems: A family \({\mathcal F}\subset {\mathcal U}\) has the property \({\mathcal P}\) with tolerance \(k\) if there is a subset \({\mathcal G}\subset {\mathcal F}\), of cardinality \(k\), such that \({\mathcal F}\setminus {\mathcal G}\) has the property \({\mathcal P}\). They prove the following main theorem: Let \(({\mathcal U}, {\mathcal P}, \mu)\) be a Helly-type theorem. For any positive integer \(t\) there is a positive integer \(\eta(t)\) such that a family \({\mathcal F}\subset {\mathcal U}\) has property \({\mathcal P}\) with tolerance \(t\) if and only if every subfamily of \({\mathcal F}\) of cardinality at most \(\eta(t)\) has the property \({\mathcal P}\) with tolerance \(t\). Such tolerance versions are discussed of the theorems of Helly, Radon and some other ones.