English

Elementary incidence theorems for complex numbers and quaternions

Combinatorics 2009-03-12 v1 Metric Geometry

Abstract

We present some elementary ideas to prove the following Sylvester-Gallai type theorems involving incidences between points and lines in the planes over the complex numbers and quaternions. (1) Let A and B be finite sets of at least two complex numbers each. Then there exists a line l in the complex affine plane such that l intersects AxB in exactly two points. (2) Let S be a finite noncollinear set of points in the complex affine plane. Then there exists a line l intersecting S in 2, 3, 4 or 5 points. (3) Let A and B be finite sets of at least two quaternions each. Then there exists a line l in the quaternionic affine plane such that l intersects AxB in 2, 3, 4 or 5 points. (4) Let S be a finite noncollinear set of points in the quaternionic affine plane. Then there exists a line l intersecting S in at least 2 and at most 24 points.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.math/0703372,
  title  = {Elementary incidence theorems for complex numbers and quaternions},
  author = {Jozsef Solymosi and Konrad J. Swanepoel},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0703372},
  year   = {2009}
}

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5 pages