2-dimensional Convexity Numbers and $P_4$-free Graphs

http://dx.doi.org/10.4153/CMB-2012-031-5
11 pages

  Published:2012-09-21
 

For $S\subseteq\mathbb R^n$ a set $C\subseteq S$ is an $m$-clique if the convex hull of no $m$-element subset of $C$ is contained in $S$. We show that there is essentially just one way to construct a closed set $S\subseteq\mathbb R^2$ without an uncountable $3$-clique that is not the union of countably many convex sets. In particular, all such sets have the same convexity number; that is, they require the same number of convex subsets to cover them. The main result follows from an analysis of the convex structure of closed sets in $\mathbb R^2$ without uncountable 3-cliques in terms of clopen, $P_4$-free graphs on Polish spaces.