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Source. Theorem 12, printed p. 348, physical p. 8 of the published paper.

Let LkL_k be the configuration of kk collinear points separated successively by unit distance. For every integer n≥1n\ge1,

R(L3,n,4),R(L4,n,3),R(L6,n,2)are false.(1)R(L_3,n,4),\qquad R(L_4,n,3),\qquad R(L_6,n,2) \quad\text{are false}. \tag{1}

Avoiding L3L_3 with four colors

Color x∈Rnx\in\mathbb R^n by

⌊∣x∣2⌋(mod4).(2)\lfloor |x|^2\rfloor\pmod4. \tag{2}

Suppose x−u,x,x+ux-u,x,x+u, where ∣u∣=1|u|=1, had the same color. Put t−=∣x−u∣2t_-=|x-u|^2, t0=∣x∣2t_0=|x|^2, and t+=∣x+u∣2t_+=|x+u|^2. Then

t++t−−2t0=2.(3)t_++t_--2t_0=2. \tag{3}

Write tσ=4kσ+r+θσt_\sigma=4k_\sigma+r+\theta_\sigma, with a common r∈{0,1,2,3}r\in\{0,1,2,3\} and 0≤θσ<10\le\theta_\sigma<1. Equation (3) would give

2=4(k++k−−2k0)+θ++θ−−2θ0.(4)2=4(k_++k_--2k_0)+\theta_++\theta_--2\theta_0. \tag{4}

The final term lies strictly between −2-2 and 22. If the integer in parentheses is 00, it would have to equal 22; if it is 11, it would have to equal −2-2; every other value is farther outside the interval. This is impossible, so (2) contains no monochromatic L3L_3.

Avoiding L4L_4 with three colors

Color x∈Rnx\in\mathbb R^n by

⌊2∣x∣2⌋(mod3).(5)\lfloor 2|x|^2\rfloor\pmod3. \tag{5}

Suppose x+iux+iu, 1≤i≤41\le i\le4, with ∣u∣=1|u|=1, had the same color. Put yi=2∣x+iu∣2y_i=2|x+iu|^2 and let fi=yi−⌊yi⌋∈[0,1)f_i=y_i-\lfloor y_i\rfloor\in[0,1). The quadratic sequence yiy_i satisfies

y1+y3=2y2+4,y2+y4=2y3+4.(6)y_1+y_3=2y_2+4, \qquad y_2+y_4=2y_3+4. \tag{6}

All four integer parts are congruent modulo 33. On separating integer and fractional parts in the first equation, one gets

4=3M+f1+f3−2f24=3M+f_1+f_3-2f_2

for an integer MM. Since the fractional expression lies strictly between −2-2 and 22, necessarily M=1M=1, and hence

f1+f3−2f2=1.(7)f_1+f_3-2f_2=1. \tag{7}

The second equation similarly gives

f2+f4−2f3=1.(8)f_2+f_4-2f_3=1. \tag{8}

Adding (7) and (8) yields

f1+f4=f2+f3+2,f_1+f_4=f_2+f_3+2,

whose left side is strictly below 22 while its right side is at least 22. Thus (5) contains no monochromatic L4L_4.

Avoiding L6L_6 with two colors

Color x∈Rnx\in\mathbb R^n by the parity of

⌊∣x∣26⌋.(9)\left\lfloor\frac{|x|^2}{6}\right\rfloor. \tag{9}

Suppose x+iux+iu, 1≤i≤61\le i\le6, with ∣u∣=1|u|=1, had the same color, and set

ai=∣x+iu∣26.a_i=\frac{|x+iu|^2}{6}.

Then

ai+1+ai−1=2ai+13(2≤i≤5),(10)a_{i+1}+a_{i-1}=2a_i+\frac13\qquad(2\le i\le5), \tag{10}

and all ⌊ai⌋\lfloor a_i\rfloor have the same parity. Put

bi=ai+(i−4)⌊a3⌋+(3−i)⌊a4⌋.(11)b_i=a_i+(i-4)\lfloor a_3\rfloor+(3-i)\lfloor a_4\rfloor. \tag{11}

Adding an integer affine function of ii preserves (10) and every fractional part. Moreover,

0≤b3,b4<1,0\le b_3,b_4<1,

and every ⌊bi⌋\lfloor b_i\rfloor is even, since modulo 22 the three coefficients in (11) sum to 1+(i−4)+(3−i)=01+(i-4)+(3-i)=0.

The first two recurrences give

b2=2b3−b4+13,b5=2b4−b3+13.(12)b_2=2b_3-b_4+\frac13, \qquad b_5=2b_4-b_3+\frac13. \tag{12}

Thus −2/3<b2,b5<7/3-2/3<b_2,b_5<7/3. Their even integer parts imply

b2,b5∈[0,1)∪[2,7/3).(13)b_2,b_5\in[0,1)\cup[2,7/3). \tag{13}

But (12) also gives

2b2+b5=3b3+1,b2+2b5=3b4+1.(14)2b_2+b_5=3b_3+1, \qquad b_2+2b_5=3b_4+1. \tag{14}

If b2≥2b_2\ge2, the first left side is at least 44 while its right side is strictly below 44; the second identity rules out b5≥2b_5\ge2 in the same way. Hence b2,b5∈[0,1)b_2,b_5\in[0,1).

The remaining recurrences give

b1=2b2−b3+13,b6=2b5−b4+13.(15)b_1=2b_2-b_3+\frac13, \qquad b_6=2b_5-b_4+\frac13. \tag{15}

Again −2/3<b1,b6<7/3-2/3<b_1,b_6<7/3, so their even integer parts put them in the union in (13). The identities

2b1+b4=3b2+1,b3+2b6=3b5+1(16)2b_1+b_4=3b_2+1, \qquad b_3+2b_6=3b_5+1 \tag{16}

then exclude the second interval, just as in (14). Therefore every bib_i lies in [0,1)[0,1). Finally, the quadratic sequence satisfies

b1+b6=b3+b4+2.(17)b_1+b_6=b_3+b_4+2. \tag{17}

The left side of (17) is strictly below 22, while the right side is at least 22, a contradiction. Thus (9) contains no monochromatic L6L_6, and all three assertions in (1) follow.