LINEAR

SPACES
LINEAR SPACE
-is a space (P, L) of points and lines such that

L1 any line has at least two points

L2 two points are on precisely one line
EXAMPLE 2.1.1
Let R2 be the Euclidean Plane. A point of R2 is an ordered
pair (x, y) of real numbers. A line is the set of points (x, y)
satisfying an equation y = ax + b or x = c where a, b and c are
fixed real numbers. This is a linear space.

Now let P’= {(x, y)| x2 + y2 < 1}. That is P’ is the set of points
inside a unit circle. Let L’ be the set of restrictions of lines of
R2 to P’. Since tangent lines to the circle x2 + y2 = 1 of R2 do
not meet at P’ at all, any line of L’ has at least two points.
Clearly any two points of P’ are on a unique line. Hence (P’,
L’) is a linear space.
 EXAMPLE 2.1.2
A Steiner’ system S(t, k, v) is a
set S of v elements called points
in which certain subsets called
blocks are distinguished such
that
(i) any set of t distinct points (t
≥2) is contained in one and only
one block;
(ii) each block has exactly k
points
 EXAMPLE 2.1.2
Consider the cases where ‘blocks’
are considered to be ‘lines’ and
t=2.
(a) if there are no blocks, (i) and
(ii) are trivially satisfied
(b) if there is one block, k = v

- Trivial Steiner Systems

 EXAMPLE 2.1.2
- An example of an S(2, 2, 3)is a triangle (three 2-points and three 2-
lines)
- The only S(2, 2, v) is the complete graph on v points.
- The Fano plane is an S(2, 3, 7)
 EXAMPLE 2.1.2
Figure 2.1.2 is an S(2, 3, 9)
-The four sets {1, 6, 8}, {3, 4, 8},
{2, 6, 7}, and {2, 4, 9} are lines
-Has point regularity 4 and line
regularity 3.
-It satisfies the Euclidean ‘parallel
postulate’: given any line l and
point p ϵ l, there is precisely one
line on p missing l.

Figure 2.1.2
 EXAMPLE 2.1.3
For any line l let [l] be the set of all lines parallel to l including l itself.
We have the following properties
(a) if l’ ϵ [l],then [l’] = [l];
(b) if l’ ϵ [l],then [l’] ᴖ [l] = Φ
We construct a new system (P’, L’):
P’ = P ᴗ {[l]| l ϵ L};
L’ = { {l ᴗ [l] | l ϵ L}, {{[l]| l ϵ L} };
Points at infinity – the points of P’ are those of P along with the
parallel classes [l]
Lines at infinity – each line of L gets a point at infinity added to it to
make it a line of L’. L’ gets in addition one new line, consisting of all
the new points.
EXAMPLE 2.1.3
Extended Real Plane or the Real Projective
Plane
any line of L’ has at least two points. Any two points of p
are on a unique line in L’. Two points at infinity are on a unique
line: the line at infinity. For a point p of P and a point at infinity
[l], there is a unique line of [l] on p. Hence, (P’, L’) is a linear
space
THE DE BRUIJN –
ERDÖS THEOREM
Lemma 2.2.1. In a near linear space,
σ𝒗𝒊=𝟏 𝒃𝒊 (𝒃𝒊 − 𝟏) ≤ 𝒃(𝒃 − 𝟏)

Proof: There are 𝒃𝒊 𝒃𝒊 − 𝟏 ordered pairs of lines on the point 𝒑𝒊 .

So the left hand side of the inequality counts the number of
ordered pairs of intersecting lines. Clearly, there are altogether
b 𝒃 − 𝟏 ordered pairs of lines.
THE DE BRUIJN – ERDÖS THEOREM
THE DE BRUIJN – ERDÖS THEOREM
THE DE BRUIJN – ERDÖS THEOREM
THE DE BRUIJN – ERDÖS THEOREM
THE DE BRUIJN – ERDÖS THEOREM
THE DE BRUIJN – ERDÖS THEOREM
THE DE BRUIJN – ERDÖS THEOREM