Sylvester–Gallai theorem
Teorema de Sylvester-Gallai
- Date
- 1893-1944 · confidence high
- Place
- Budapest, Hungary
- Credited to
- James Joseph Sylvester (posed the problem, 1893) and Tibor Gallai (proof, 1944)
- Field
- Knowledge & symbols
What was discovered
Combinatorial geometry theorem stating that any finite set of non-collinear points in the plane has at least one line through exactly two of them; posed by Sylvester in 1893 and proved by Gallai in 1944.
What it led to
- modern combinatorial geometry
- bounds on ordinary lines
- theory of point-line configurations
- applications in matroid theory