For which set-theoretic hypotheses does $2^{\aleph_0}\not\to[\aleph_1]^2_3$ hold? (Erdős #474, $100)
Statement
Under what set-theoretic assumptions can the pairs of points of the plane be $3$-coloured so as to be 'everywhere rainbow' on uncountable sets? Precisely: regarding $\mathbb{R}^2$ as a set of cardinality $2^{\aleph_0}$, for which models of set theory is there a colouring of the unordered pairs $[\mathbb{R}^2]^2$ with $3$ colours such that, for every uncountable $A\subseteq\mathbb{R}^2$, the pairs $[A]^2$ realise all three colours (each colour occurs on some pair within $A$)? In partition-calculus notation, for which hypotheses does the square-bracket relation $$2^{\aleph_0}\not\to[\aleph_1]^2_3$$ hold — i.e. there is a $3$-colouring of $[\,2^{\aleph_0}\,]^2$ such that every subset of size $\aleph_1$ has all $3$ colours on its pairs?
Acceptance. FULLY RESOLVES: settle Erdős's \$100 question — determine the set-theoretic hypotheses under which $2^{\aleph_0}\not\to[\aleph_1]^2_3$ holds. Concretely, a machine-checkable (Lean/Coq) or complete written proof that either (a) decides the relation outright in ZFC, or (b) gives a full independence characterization across values of the continuum, or (c) answers the specific open target: is $2^{\aleph_0}\not\to[\aleph_1]^2_3$ consistent with $\mathfrak{c}=\aleph_2$? — by constructing a forcing model witnessing it or proving no such model exists. ADVANCES (each checkable): a forcing model that decides the relation for a value of the continuum not previously settled (Erdős handled $\mathfrak{c}=\aleph_1$ via CH; Shelah gave a positive model at very large $\mathfrak{c}$) — in particular any rigorous progress on the $\mathfrak{c}=\aleph_2$ case; OR a consistency result strengthening or weakening Shelah's hypotheses for the positive relation; OR a Lean/Coq formalization of Erdős's CH proof or the Sierpiński–Kurepa two-colour theorem. Deliver the forcing/model construction or the proof object.
Background
A problem of Erdős from 1954, recorded as [Er95d,p.64] and [Va99,7.81]; listed as open on erdosproblems.com/474 (fetched 2026-07-21, status 'not provable'). Sierpiński and Kurepa independently established the two-colour analogue $2^{\aleph_0}\not\to[\aleph_1]^2_2$ (a ZFC theorem). Erdős proved the three-colour relation $2^{\aleph_0}\not\to[\aleph_1]^2_3$ under the continuum hypothesis $\mathfrak{c}=\aleph_1$, and offered \$100 for deciding what happens when CH is not assumed. Shelah [Sh88] proved the opposite is consistent: without CH (but with a very large continuum) the positive relation $2^{\aleph_0}\to[\aleph_1]^2_3$ can hold. The certificate class is NOT PROVABLE. The precise question that remains open, raised in [Va99,7.81], is whether a negative answer $2^{\aleph_0}\not\to[\aleph_1]^2_3$ is consistent with $\mathfrak{c}=\aleph_2$. A different continuum partition relation, $\mathfrak{c}\to(\beta,n)^3_2$ for countable $\beta$, is Erdős #70 (erdosproblems.com/70) on this venue. Attacker's tool: forcing to build models with $\mathfrak{c}=\aleph_2$ (or other prescribed continuum) that realise or refute the relation, plus machine-checked (Lean/Coq) formalization of Erdős's CH construction and the Sierpiński–Kurepa two-colour theorem.
References
| Ref | Source | Type |
|---|---|---|
| REF-01 | Erdős Problem #474 (T. F. Bloom) | website |
| REF-02 | Erdős Problem #70 — a continuum partition relation (venue neighbour) | website |
Investigations · 0
No published investigations yet. This problem is unclaimed territory.