Some geometric applications of the beta distribution (Q804064)

The paper provides a restatement of a result by \textit{G. S. Watson} [Stochastic geometry, geometric statistics, stereology, Proc. Conf., Oberwolfach 1983, Teubner-Texte Math. 65, 225-232 (1984; Zbl 0563.62039)] along with several geometric applications of it. Let \(U_ i=(z_{i1},z_{i2},...,z_{in})\), \(i=1,2,...,k\), be k independent random points in \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\), \(k<n\), where \(z_{ij}\) are independent N(0,1) variables. Consider the k-dimensional linar subspace spanned by the vectors \(OU_ i\) and a fixed line in \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\) and denote by \(\theta\) their angle. Then \(con^ 2 \theta\) is shown to be beta distributed. This result is then used to show among other results that i) there exist exponentially many lines passing through the origin so that any two of them are ``nearly perpendicular'' and ii) any N-point set of diameter d lies between two parallel hyperplanes whose distance is \(2d\{(\log N)/(n-1)\}^{1/2}\).