Lovász shadow bound ($|\mathcal{F}|=\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x}{r}\right)⟹|\partial \mathcal{F}|\ge \left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x}{r-1}\right)$)

For a nonempty $r$-uniform set family, define $x>r-1$ by $|\mathcal{F}|=\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x}{r}\right)$ using real binomial coefficients. Then its lower shadow has at least $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x}{r-1}\right)$ members. This continuous estimate is often easier to use than the exact integer expansion in the Kruskal-Katona theorem.

A short proof uses coordinate shifts of a set family. In a fully left-shifted set family split at coordinate one into ${\mathcal{F}}_0$ and ${\mathcal{F}}_1$, deleting one in the present section. The shifting property implies $\partial {\mathcal{F}}_0\subseteq {\mathcal{F}}_1$, and the total lower shadow has size $|{\mathcal{F}}_1|+|\partial {\mathcal{F}}_1|$. Induct on uniformity and, at fixed uniformity, on set family size. If $|{\mathcal{F}}_1|<\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x-1}{r-1}\right)$, the Pascal's identity and the size mathematical induction force $|\partial {\mathcal{F}}_0|>\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x-1}{r-1}\right)$, a contradiction. The uniformity mathematical induction applied to ${\mathcal{F}}_1$, followed by the Pascal's identity, proves the estimate. Integer $x$ is sharp for the full $r$-level on $x$ coordinates.