An arc in finite projective geometry is a set of points which satisfies, in an intuitive way, a feature of curved figures in continuous geometries. Loosely speaking, they are sets of points that are far from "line-like" in a plane or far from "plane-like" in a three-dimensional space. In this finite setting it is typical to include the number of points in the set in the name, so these simple arcs are called -arcs. An important generalization of the -arc concept, also referred to as arcs in the literature, are the -arcs.
In a finite projective planea set of points such that no three points of are collinear is called a. If the plane has order then, however the maximum value of can only be achieved if is even. In a plane of order, a -arc is called an oval and, if is even, a -arc is called a hyperoval. Every conic in the Desarguesian projective plane PG, i.e., the set of zeros of an irreducible homogeneous quadratic equation, is an oval. A celebrated result of Beniamino Segre states that when is odd, every -arc in PG is a conic. This is one of the pioneering results in finite geometry. If is even and is a -arc in, then it can be shown via combinatorial arguments that there must exist a unique point in such that the union of and this point is a -arc. Thus, every oval can be uniquely extended to a hyperoval in a finite projective plane of even order. A -arc which can not be extended to a larger arc is called a complete arc. In the Desarguesian projective planes, PG, no -arc is complete, so they may all be extended to ovals.
In the finite projective space PG with, a set of points such that no points lie in a common hyperplane is called a -arc. This definition generalizes the definition of a -arc in a plane.
()-arcs in a projective plane
A -arc in a finite projective plane is a set, of points of such that each line intersects in at most points, and there is at least one line that does intersect in points. A -arc is a -arc and may be referred to as simply an arc if the size is not a concern. The number of points of a -arc in a projective plane of order is at most. When equality occurs, one calls a maximal arc. Hyperovals are maximal arcs. Complete arcs need not be maximal arcs.
