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Source. Section 2, printed pp. 148–149 (published PDF).
Statement. Let be a finite indexed family of subsets of finite , and . For , let and let be the largest size of a partial transversal of the subfamily . The following are equivalent:
- has an indexed partition into subfamilies, each admitting a full transversal.
- for every .
- for every .
Empty subfamilies are permitted. The representative elements can be reused in different parts.
External inputs. The exact finite Hall and König theorems are recorded in external inputs. The Hall proof is supplied by Hall (1935), Theorem 1; the separate König min–max theorem retains its external scope.
Proof. Replace each by labeled copies , , and replace by . The union of the available copies for a subfamily has exactly elements. Hall's theorem therefore says that condition 2 is equivalent to a full transversal of the replicated family.
Given that transversal, put index into part if its selected representative has second coordinate . Within each part the first coordinates are distinct and belong to the appropriate sets, so give a transversal. Conversely, transversals for a partition into parts give distinct representatives in the replicated family by labeling each representative with its part. This proves .
Since , condition 3 implies condition 2. For the converse, suppose condition 3 fails at a subfamily . In the incidence graph on and , König's theorem gives a minimum vertex cover , with , , such that
Put . Every neighbor of an index in belongs to , so . Consequently
contradicting condition 2. This proves the remaining implication.
The source identifies the neighbor set of with ; equality follows if the chosen minimum cover is also viewed as inclusion-minimal, since an element of with no neighbor in could be deleted. Only the inclusion, written explicitly above, is needed.
This partitions the indexed family, whereas the network-flow formula packs partial transversals inside the ground set. The two incidence sides are not silently interchanged. Applying the general matroid partition theorem to the family-side transversal matroid is another proof of ; the Hall replication argument is retained as the distinct route actually discussed by the source.