A Finite Geometry
Exercise 1.7.
God is like a skillful Geometrician.
—Sir Thomas
Browne (1605–1682)
Exercise 1.7. Write the contradiction argument for Fano Theorem 2 which shows that A, B, C, D, E, F, and P are distinct points.
Since D is the
third point distinct from A and P on line AP, the point
D is neither A nor P.
Suppose D = B. By Axiom 4, the line AP = DP = BP.
Hence {A, B, P} is collinear. Since C is on line AB,
Axiom 4 implies that {A, B, C, P} is collinear. But this contradicts that
{A, B, C, P} is noncollinear by how P was defined.
The other cases are similar. (Verify the other cases.)
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