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Source. Problem 28, p. 13 (Section 7, "Distinct distances with local properties", pp. 13--15), with Table 3 (p. 13), of Adam Sheffer, Distinct Distances: Open Problems and Current Bounds, arXiv:1406.1949v3 (2 July 2018), the edition read for the source card.

Statement

Notation (p. 13). For positive integers k,ℓk,\ell, ϕ(n,k,ℓ)\phi(n,k,\ell) is the least number of distinct distances spanned by a set of nn points in the plane in which every kk points determine at least ℓ\ell distinct distances. The survey reads ϕ(n,3,3)\phi(n,3,3) as the least number of distinct distances among nn points spanning no isosceles triangle, degenerate (collinear) isosceles triangles included.

What the survey records (p. 13):

  • Lower bound ϕ(n,3,3)=Ω(n)\phi(n,3,3)=\Omega(n): with no isosceles triangle, each point has n−1n-1 distinct distances to the others.
  • Upper bound ϕ(n,3,3)<n2O(log⁡n)\phi(n,3,3)<n2^{O(\sqrt{\log n})}, observed by Erdős: take Behrend's set a1<⋯<ana_1<\cdots<a_n of positive integers with no three-term arithmetic progression and an<n2O(log⁡n)a_n<n2^{O(\sqrt{\log n})}, and place the points (ai,0)(a_i,0) on a line; they span no isosceles triangle and at most ana_n distances.
  • Erdős conjectured ϕ(n,3,3)=ω(n)\phi(n,3,3)=\omega(n).

Problem 28 (p. 13). "Find the asymptotic value of ϕ(n,3,3)\phi(n,3,3)." (quoted)

Read depth

Claims checked on the print. Behrend's construction is reported as the survey states it and was not checked against its source here.

Bears on

  • Problem 657: the problem asks whether nn planar points with no isosceles triangle must determine at least f(n)nf(n)n distinct distances for some f(n)→∞f(n)\to\infty, that is, Erdős's conjecture ϕ(n,3,3)=ω(n)\phi(n,3,3)=\omega(n) as the survey states it. The survey records the bounds Ω(n)\Omega(n) and n2O(log⁡n)n2^{O(\sqrt{\log n})} and leaves the problem open as Problem 28.