Math 2.0

Geometry Definition

Generalized quadrangle

Builds on Incidence structureGeneralized polygonPolar space

Definition

Let s≥1s \ge 1 and t≥1t \ge 1 be integers. A generalized quadrangle of order (s,t)(s, t) is an incidence structure (P,L,I)(P, L, I) of points and lines such that:

  1. each point lies on exactly t+1t + 1 lines, and two distinct points lie on at most one common line;
  2. each line contains exactly s+1s + 1 points, and two distinct lines meet in at most one common point;
  3. if a point pp is not on a line ℓ\ell, exactly one line through pp meets ℓ\ell.

Remarks

Counting gives (s+1)(st+1)(s + 1)(st + 1) points and (t+1)(st+1)(t + 1)(st + 1) lines. A generalized quadrangle is the same as a generalized polygon with n=4n = 4. The finite polar spaces of rank 22 are generalized quadrangles.

Example: the (s+1)×(s+1)(s + 1) \times (s + 1) grid, with the rows and columns as lines, has order (s,1)(s, 1). Clauses 1 and 2 are clear. For clause 3, let pp be off the row ℓ\ell. The column through pp meets ℓ\ell in one point qq, and the row through pp is disjoint from ℓ\ell, so exactly one line through pp meets ℓ\ell. The same check works with rows and columns exchanged.

Non-example: in a projective plane of order n≥2n \ge 2, every line through a point pp off ℓ\ell meets ℓ\ell, so n+1>1n + 1 > 1 lines through pp meet ℓ\ell and clause 3 fails.

The symplectic quadrangle W(q)W(q), formed by the points of PG(3,q)\mathrm{PG}(3, q) and the totally isotropic lines of a symplectic form, has order (q,q)(q, q).

Reading path

To understand this page from the ground up, read these 4 pages in order. The foundations come first.

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  1. Generalized polygon concept
  2. Incidence structure concept
  3. Polar space concept
  4. Generalized quadrangle definition

Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generalized_quadrangle
About this page
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Kinddefinition
WritingW0 stub
MSC51E12, 05B25
DefinesGeneralized quadrangle
UsesIncidence structure, Generalized polygon, Polar space

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