A conjecture of Stein on plane dissections (Q908514)

Let S be a subset of the plane; suppose that S is symmetric about a point and can be dissected into non-overlapping triangles \(T_ i\) (1\(\leq i\leq n)\). Set \(a_ i=2 area T_ i/area S\) so that \(\sum^{n}_{1}a_ i=2\). The author shows that there is a polynomial f with integer coefficients and zero constant term such that \(f(a_ 1,...,a_ n)=1\). In particular if the \(T_ i\) are of equal area, n cannot be odd. This establishes a conjecture of Sherman Stein that was motivated by results of Stein, E. A. Kasimatis and the author. The non-constructive proof that f exists uses the extension of valuation theorem, reduction to characteristic 2, Z/2 group cohomology, and groups aking to those studied in ``scissors congruence'' problems.