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A finite linear space consists of a finite set $P$ of points and a set family $\mathcal{L}$ of subsets called lines, each containing at least two points, such that each pair of distinct points lies on exactly one line. Here the nontrivial convention also excludes a line equal to all of $P$. Two distinct lines therefore meet in at most one point, and counting pairs givesNear-pencils and finite projective planes, including the Fano plane, are examples. The De Bruijn--Erdos pair-covering inequality concerns the corresponding point degrees. The original line-count theorem proves $|\mathcal{L}|\ge |P|$, with equality only for a near-pencil or a finite projective plane.^[ref]

An exactly one-intersecting family with empty total intersection gives such a structure by using its members as points. Each original ground element supplies the set of members containing it. Discard the resulting sets of size zero or one; the others are lines, and every pair of member-points belongs to its unique shared-element line. Empty total intersection excludes an all-point line.

Nicolaas Govert de Bruijn worked on combinatorics and mathematical structures. With Paul Erdős, he proved a finite incidence theorem in their 1948 paper: a nontrivial system in which each pair of points lies on exactly one line has at least as many lines as points.^[ref]

The equality cases are highly organized: a near-pencil or a finite projective plane. This shows how a local pair-incidence rule controls both a global counting inequality and the structure of extremal examples.^[ref]

Paul Erdős worked on number theory, combinatorics and extremal problems. His joint 1948 paper with Nicolaas Govert de Bruijn gives an incidence bound from a unique-line-through-two-points condition.^[ref]

For a finite nontrivial incidence system, the number of lines is at least the number of points. Equality forces a near-pencil or a finite projective plane. The theorem illustrates an extremal approach: determine a sharp numerical bound, then understand the configurations attaining it.^[ref]