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Nóra Frankl

Publications and source records attributed to Nóra Frankl.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2025

On forbidden configurations in point-line incidence graphs

The celebrated Szemerédi--Trotter theorem states that the maximum number of incidences between $n$ points and $n$ lines in the plane is $O(n^{4/3})$, which is asymptotically tight. Solymosi (2005) conjectured that for any set of points $P_0$ and for any set of lines $\mathcal{L}_0$ in the plane, the maximum number of incidences between $n$ points and $n$ lines in the plane whose incidence graph does not contain the incidence graph of $(P_0,\mathcal{L}_0)$ is $o(n^{4/3})$. This conjecture is mentioned in the book of Brass, Moser, and Pach (2005). Even a stronger conjecture, which states that the bound can be improved to $O(n^{4/3-\varepsilon})$ for some $\varepsilon = \varepsilon(P_0,\mathcal{L}_0)>0$, was introduced by Mirzaei and Suk (2021). We disprove both of these conjectures. We also introduce a new approach for proving the upper bound $O(n^{4/3-\varepsilon})$ on the number of incidences for configurations $(P,\mathcal{L})$ that avoid certain subconfigurations.

math.CO↗
arXiv2025

Monochromatic configurations on a circle

If we two-colour a circle, we can always find an inscribed triangle with angles $(\fracπ{7},\frac{2π}{7},\frac{4π}{7})$ whose three vertices have the same colour. In fact, Bialostocki and Nielsen showed that it is enough to consider the colours on the vertices of an inscribed heptagon. We prove that for every other triangle $T$ there is a two-colouring of the circle without any monochromatic copy of $T$. More generally, for $k\geq 3$, call a $k$-tuple $(d_1,d_2,\dots,d_k)$ with $d_1\geq d_2\geq \dots \geq d_k>0$ and $\sum_{i=1}^k d_i=1$ a Ramsey $k$-tuple if the following is true: in every two-colouring of the circle of unit perimeter, there is a monochromatic $k$-tuple of points in which the distances of cyclically consecutive points, measured along the arcs, are $d_1,d_2,\dots,d_k$ in some order. By a conjecture of Stromquist, if $d_i=\frac{2^{k-i}}{2^k-1}$, then $(d_1,\dots,d_k)$ is Ramsey. Our main result is a proof of the converse of this conjecture. That is, we show that if $(d_1,\dots,d_k)$ is Ramsey, then $d_i=\frac{2^{k-i}}{2^k-1}$. We do this by finding connections of the problem to certain questions from number theory about partitioning $\mathbb{N}$ into so-called Beatty sequences. We also disprove a majority version of Stromquist's conjecture, study a robust version, and discuss a discrete version.

math.CO↗
arXiv2025

Helly-type theorems for monotone properties of boxes

We present a unified approach to prove Helly-type theorems for monotone properties of boxes, such as having large volume or containing points from a given set. As a corollary, we obtain new proofs for several earlier results regarding specific monotone properties. Our results generalise to $H$-convex sets as well.

math.CO↗
arXiv2024

Monochromatic infinite sets in Minkowski planes

We prove that for any $\ell_p$-norm in the plane with $1<p<\infty$ and for every infinite $\mathcal{M} \subset \mathbb{R}^2$, there exists a two-colouring of the plane such that no isometric copy of $\mathcal{M}$ is monochromatic. On the contrary, we show that for every polygonal norm (that is, the unit ball is a polygon) in the plane, there exists an infinite $\mathcal{M} \subset \mathbb{R}^2$ such that for every two-colouring of the plane there exists a monochromatic isometric copy of $\mathcal{M}$.

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arXiv2024

The Quantitative Fractional Helly theorem

Two celebrated extensions of Helly's theorem are the Fractional Helly theorem of Katchalski and Liu (1979) and the Quantitative Volume theorem of Bárány, Katchalski, and Pach (1982). Improving on several recent works, we prove an optimal combination of these two results. We show that given a family $\mathcal{F}$ of $n$ convex sets in $\mathbb{R}^d$ such that at least $α\binom{n}{d+1}$ of the $(d+1)$-tuples of $\mathcal{F}$ have an intersection of volume at least 1, then one can select $Ω_{d,α}(n)$ members of $\mathcal{F}$ whose intersection has volume at least $Ω_d(1)$. Furthermore, with the help of this theorem, we establish a quantitative version of the $(p,q)$ theorem of Alon and Kleitman. Let $p\geq q\geq d+1$ and let $\mathcal{F}$ be a finite family of convex sets in $\mathbb{R}^d$ such that among any $p$ elements of $\mathcal{F}$, there are $q$ that have an intersection of volume at least $1$. Then, we prove that there exists a family $T$ of $O_{p,q}(1)$ ellipsoids of volume $Ω_d(1)$ such that every member of $\mathcal{F}$ contains at least one element of $T$. Finally, we present extensions about the diameter version of the Quantitative Helly theoerm.

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arXiv2024

Max-norm Ramsey Theory

Given a metric space $\mathcal{M}$ that contains at least two points, the chromatic number $χ\left(\mathbb{R}^n_{\infty}, \mathcal{M} \right)$ is defined as the minimum number of colours needed to colour all points of an $n$-dimensional space $\mathbb{R}^n_{\infty}$ with the max-norm such that no isometric copy of $\mathcal{M}$ is monochromatic. The last two authors have recently shown that the value $χ\left(\mathbb{R}^n_{\infty}, \mathcal{M} \right)$ grows exponentially for all finite $\mathcal{M}$. In the present paper we refine this result by giving the exact value $χ_{\mathcal{M}}$ such that $χ\left(\mathbb{R}^n_{\infty}, \mathcal{M} \right) = (χ_{\mathcal{M}}+o(1))^n$ for all 'one-dimensional' $\mathcal{M}$ and for some of their Cartesian products. We also study this question for infinite $\mathcal{M}$. In particular, we construct an infinite $\mathcal{M}$ such that the chromatic number $χ\left(\mathbb{R}^n_{\infty}, \mathcal{M} \right)$ tends to infinity as $n \rightarrow \infty$.

math.CO↗
arXiv2023

On Helly numbers of exponential lattices

Given a set $S \subseteq \mathbb{R}^2$, define the \emph{Helly number of $S$}, denoted by $H(S)$, as the smallest positive integer $N$, if it exists, for which the following statement is true: for any finite family $\mathcal{F}$ of convex sets in~$\mathbb{R}^2$ such that the intersection of any $N$ or fewer members of~$\mathcal{F}$ contains at least one point of $S$, there is a point of $S$ common to all members of $\mathcal{F}$. We prove that the Helly numbers of \emph{exponential lattices} $\{α^n \colon n \in \mathbb{N}_0\}^2$ are finite for every $α>1$ and we determine their exact values in some instances. In particular, we obtain $H(\{2^n \colon n \in \mathbb{N}_0\}^2)=5$, solving a problem posed by Dillon (2021). For real numbers $α, β> 1$, we also fully characterize exponential lattices $L(α,β) = \{α^n \colon n \in \mathbb{N}_0\} \times \{β^n \colon n \in \mathbb{N}_0\}$ with finite Helly numbers by showing that $H(L(α,β))$ is finite if and only if $\log_α(β)$ is rational.

math.CO↗
arXiv2023

Graphs with large minimum degree and no small odd cycles are $3$-colourable

Answering a question by Letzter and Snyder, we prove that for large enough $k$ any $n$-vertex graph $G$ with minimum degree at least $\frac{1}{2k-1}n$ and without odd cycles of length less than $2k+1$ is $3$-colourable. In fact, we prove a stronger result that works with a slightly smaller minimum degree.

math.CO↗
arXiv2022

Nearly $k$-distance sets

We say that a set of points $S\subset \mathbb{R}^d$ is an $\varepsilon$-nearly $k$-distance set if there exist $1\le t_1\le \ldots\le t_k,$ such that the distance between any two distinct points in $S$ falls into $[t_1,t_1+\varepsilon]\cup\ldots\cup[t_k,t_k+\varepsilon]$. In this paper, we study the quantity $M_k(d) = \lim_{\varepsilon\to 0}\max\{|S|\ :\ S\text{ is an }\varepsilon\text{-nearly } k \text{-distance set in } \mathbb{R}^d\}$ and its relation to the classical quantity $m_k(d)$: the size of the largest $k$-distance set in $\mathbb{R}^d$. We obtain that $M_k(d) = m_k(d)$ for $k=2,3$, as well as for any fixed $k$, provided that $d$ is sufficiently large. The last result answers a question, proposed by Erdős, Makai and Pach. We also address a closely related Turán-type problem, studied by Erdős, Makai, Pach, and Spencer in the 80's: given $n$ points in $\mathbb{R}^d$, how many pairs of them form a distance that belongs to $[t_1,t_1+1]\cup\ldots\cup[t_k,t_k+1],$ where $t_1,\ldots, t_k$ are fixed and any two points in the set are at distance at least $1$ apart? We establish the connection between this quantity and a quantity closely related to $M_k(d-1)$, as well as obtain an exact answer for the same ranges $k,d$ as above.

math.CO↗
arXiv2022

Almost-monochromatic sets and the chromatic number of the plane

In a colouring of $\mathbb{R}^d$ a pair $(S,s_0)$ with $S\subseteq \mathbb{R}^d$ and with $s_0\in S$ is \emph{almost monochromatic} if $S\setminus \{s_0\}$ is monochromatic but $S$ is not. We consider questions about finding almost monochromatic similar copies of pairs $(S,s_0)$ in colourings of $\mathbb{R}^d$, $\mathbb{Z}^d$, and in $\mathbb{Q}$ under some restrictions on the colouring. Among other results, we characterise those $(S,s_0)$ with $S\subseteq \mathbb{Z}$ for which every finite colouring of $\mathbb{R}$ without an infinite monochromatic arithmetic progression contains an almost monochromatic similar copy of $(S,s_0)$. We also show that if $S\subseteq \mathbb{Z}^d$ and $s_0$ is outside of the convex hull of $S\setminus \{s_0\}$, then every finite colouring of $\mathbb{R}^d$ without a similar monochromatic copy of $\mathbb{Z}^d$ contains an almost monochromatic similar copy of $(S,s_0)$. Further, we propose an approach of finding almost-monochromatic sets that might lead to a non-computer assisted proof of $χ(\R^2)\geq 5$.

math.CO↗
arXiv2021

VC-saturated set systems

The well-known Sauer lemma states that a family $\mathcal{F}\subseteq 2^{[n]}$ of VC-dimension at most $d$ has size at most $\sum_{i=0}^d\binom{n}{i}$. We obtain both random and explicit constructions to prove that the corresponding saturation number, i.e., the size of the smallest maximal family with VC-dimension $d\ge 2$, is at most $4^{d+1}$, and thus is independent of $n$.

math.CO↗
arXiv2020

Partitioning edge-coloured hypergraphs into few monochromatic tight cycles

Confirming a conjecture of Gyárfás, we prove that, for all natural numbers $k$ and $r$, the vertices of every $r$-edge-coloured complete $k$-uniform hypergraph can be partitioned into a bounded number (independent of the size of the hypergraph) of monochromatic tight cycles. We further prove that, for for all natural numbers $p$ and $r$, the vertices of every $r$-edge-coloured complete graph can be partitioned into a bounded number of $p$-th powers of cycles, settling a problem of Elekes, Soukup, Soukup and Szentmiklóssy. In fact we prove a common generalisation of both theorems which further extends these results to all host hypergraphs of bounded independence number.

math.CO↗
arXiv2019

Partitioning infinite hypergraphs into few monochromatic Berge-paths

Extending a result of Rado to hypergraphs, we prove that for all $s, k, t \in \mathbb{N}$ with $k \geq t \geq 2$, the vertices of every $r = s(k-t+1)$-edge-coloured countably infinite complete $k$-graph can be partitioned into the cores of at most $s$ monochromatic $t$-tight Berge-paths of different colours. We further describe a construction showing that this result is best possible.

math.CO↗
arXiv2018

A note on diameter-Ramsey sets

A finite set $A \subset \mathbb{R}^d$ is called $\textit{diameter-Ramsey}$ if for every $r \in \mathbb N$, there exists some $n \in \mathbb N$ and a finite set $B \subset \mathbb{R}^n$ with $\mathrm{diam}(A)=\mathrm{diam}(B)$ such that whenever $B$ is coloured with $r$ colours, there is a monochromatic set $A' \subset B$ which is congruent to $A$. We prove that sets of diameter $1$ with circumradius larger than $1/\sqrt{2}$ are not diameter-Ramsey. In particular, we obtain that triangles with an angle larger than $135^\circ$ are not diameter-Ramsey, improving a result of Frankl, Pach, Reiher and Rödl. Furthermore, we deduce that there are simplices which are almost regular but not diameter-Ramsey.

math.CO↗
arXiv2018

Embedding graphs in Euclidean space

The dimension of a graph $G$ is the smallest $d$ for which its vertices can be embedded in $d$-dimensional Euclidean space in the sense that the distances between endpoints of edges equal $1$ (but there may be other unit distances). Answering a question of Erdős and Simonovits [Ars Combin. 9 (1980) 229--246], we show that any graph with less than $\binom{d+2}{2}$ edges has dimension at most $d$. Improving their result, we prove that that the dimension of a graph with maximum degree $d$ is at most $d$. We show the following Ramsey result: if each edge of the complete graph on $2d$ vertices is coloured red or blue, then either the red graph or the blue graph can be embedded in Euclidean $d$-space. We also derive analogous results for embeddings of graphs into the $(d-1)$-dimensional sphere of radius $1/\sqrt{2}$.

math.CO↗
arXiv2017

Coverings: variations on a result of Rogers and on the Epsilon-net theorem of Haussler and Welzl

We consider four problems. Rogers proved that for any convex body $K$, we can cover ${\mathbb R}^d$ by translates of $K$ of density very roughly $d\ln d$. First, we extend this result by showing that, if we are given a family of positive homothets of $K$ of infinite total volume, then we can find appropriate translation vectors for each given homothet to cover ${\mathbb R}^d$ with the same (or, in certain cases, smaller) density. Second, we extend Rogers' result to multiple coverings of space by translates of a convex body: we give a non-trivial upper bound on the density of the most economical covering where each point is covered by at least a certain number of translates. Third, we show that for any sufficiently large $n$, the sphere ${\mathbb S}^2$ can be covered by $n$ strips of width $20n/\ln n$, where no point is covered too many times. Finally, we give another proof of the previous result based on a combinatorial observation: an extension of the Epsilon-net Theorem of Haussler and Welzl. We show that for a hypergraph of bounded Vapnik--Chervonenkis dimension, in which each edge is of a certain measure, there is a not-too large transversal set which does not intersect any edge too many times.

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