A Finite Geometry Exercise 1.7.
God is like a skillful Geometrician.

Exit book to another website.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.)

Solutions Chapter 1Back to Solutions Chapter One.

Ch.1 Axiom Systems TOC  Table of Contents

  Timothy Peil  Mathematics Dept.  MSU Moorhead

© Copyright 2005, 2006 - Timothy Peil