6
$\begingroup$

An arrangement of hyperplanes in $\mathbb{R}^d$ is simple if the hyperplanes are in general position (for every $1\leq k\leq d+1$, the intersection of $k$ hyperplanes is $(d-k)$-dimensional).

My question is that how can I show that if $n\geq d+1$, an arrangement of $n$ hyperplanes is simple if and only if every $d$ intersect at a single point and no $d+1$ have a point in common?

$\endgroup$
2

1 Answer 1

6
$\begingroup$

If you have an arbitrary system of linear equations and add to it one equation, the dimension of the space of solutions can decrease by at most 1. Do take any $d$ equations of your hyperplanes, order them arbitrarily, and denote by $n_k$ the dimension of the space of solutions of the first $k$ equations. Then $$d=n_0\geq n_1\geq\ldots\geq n_d=0,$$ and $n_j-n_{j+1}\leq 1$. It follows that all $n_{j}-n_{j+1}=1$, for all $j=0,\ldots,d$, and thus $n_k=d-k$.

Remark: only one condition was used: that any $d$ equations have one solution.

Remark 2. If you define $\mathrm{dim}(\emptyset)=-1$, then the same argument goes through and shows that your last condition alone is equivalent to the rest.

$\endgroup$

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .