A new class of four-point properties which characterize euclidean spaces

Abstract

Characterizations of generalized euclidean spaces by means of euclidean four-point properties.state that every metric space which is complete, and which contains a metric line joining each two of its points is a generalized euclidean space if and only if each quadruple from a certain class of quadruples of the space is congruent with a quadruple of points in a euclidean space. It is known that it suffices to consider only quadruples containing a linear triple, or quadruples in which one of the linear points is a metric midpoint of the other two. Another class of four-point properties involves quadruples which contain a linear triple and a point equidistant from two of the linear points. The present paper presents three characterizations of euclidean spaces based on four-point properties in which the embedded quadruples contain a linear triple and some three of the distances determined by the four points are equal.