English

A Helly-type theorem for semi-monotone sets and monotone maps

Logic 2013-08-19 v2 Algebraic Geometry Combinatorics

Abstract

We consider sets and maps defined over an o-minimal structure over the reals, such as real semi-algebraic or subanalytic sets. A {\em monotone map} is a multi-dimensional generalization of a usual univariate monotone function, while the closure of the graph of a monotone map is a generalization of a compact convex set. In a particular case of an identically constant function, such a graph is called a {\em semi-monotone set}. Graphs of monotone maps are, generally, non-convex, and their intersections, unlike intersections of convex sets, can be topologically complicated. In particular, such an intersection is not necessarily the graph of a monotone map. Nevertheless, we prove a Helly-type theorem, which says that for a finite family of subsets of \Realn\Real^n, if all intersections of subfamilies, with cardinalities at most n+1n+1, are non-empty and graphs of monotone maps, then the intersection of the whole family is non-empty and the graph of a monotone map.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1202.1198,
  title  = {A Helly-type theorem for semi-monotone sets and monotone maps},
  author = {Saugata Basu and Andrei Gabrielov and Nicolai Vorobjov},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1202.1198},
  year   = {2013}
}

Comments

7 pages. Minor corrections. Final version to appear in Discrete and Computational Geometry

R2 v1 2026-06-21T20:15:31.548Z