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A matroid is an independence system in which a smaller admissible selection can always grow using an element of a larger admissible selection. This exchange rule abstracts linear independence of vectors and the selection of edges forming a forest. It forces all matroid bases to have the same cardinality and makes the matroid greedy algorithm correct for maximizing their total weight. The useful surprise is that local choices become globally optimal because of a structural rule about admissible subsets, rather than a special numerical coincidence.

The weighted three-vector matroid below lets us inspect every subset and every possible size comparison. Its three vectors give three two-element matroid bases, yet their total weights differ. The graphic matroid of a graph triangle has exactly the same admissible labels. A pregeometry is a finitary closure-theoretic extension to possibly infinite sets.

Assume $\dim (N)=|N|=\kappa$, with $\kappa \ge |L|+{\aleph }_0$. Let $A\subseteq N$ have size below $\kappa$ and let $p(x)\in S_1(A)$ be a complete type. If $p$ is algebraic, its realizations lie in $\mathrm{acl}(A)\subseteq \mathrm{acl}(N)=N$. If $p$ is nonalgebraic, strong minimality makes it the unique generic type over $\mathrm{acl}(A)$. The pregeometry exchange property givesso some basis element of $N$ lies outside $\mathrm{acl}(A)$ and realizes $p$.

Thus $N$ realizes every one-type over every parameter set of size below $\kappa$. The standard one-type characterization, applied successively to tuple coordinates, makes $N$ $\kappa$-saturated. Consequently

In a strongly minimal theory, model-theoretic algebraic closure is a pregeometry. If $C$ is algebraically closed, every element outside $C$ realizes the generic type in a strongly minimal theory: every one-variable definable set is finite or cofinite, and a point outside $C$ belongs to none of the finite ones.

Enumerate a finite tuple $a_1,\dots ,a_n$ of distinct elements of the independent set $A$. Independence saysIts image tuple under the bijection has the same property. Inductively, $a_i$ and $f(a_i)$ realize the same generic type over the algebraic closures of the preceding tuples, so every finite restriction of $f$ is elementary. First-order formulas involve only finitely many parameters, hence the entire bijection is an elementary map. This is the independent set in a strongly minimal theory principle.

In a strongly minimal theory, model-theoretic algebraic closure is a pregeometry. Given finite tuples $\bar{a},\bar{b}$ of the same type, the induced correspondence extends to an isomorphism between their algebraic closures. If $c\in \mathrm{acl}(\bar{a})$, transport it through this isomorphism. If $c\notin \mathrm{acl}(\bar{a})$, its type is the unique generic one over $\bar{a}$; choose a corresponding element outside $\mathrm{acl}(\bar{b})$. Exchange ensures that this choice has the transported type. Hence every finite partial elementary map extends, and every model is aleph-zero-homogeneous.

A pregeometry is a finitary closure structure with the exchange axiom, extending the closure description of a matroid to possibly infinite underlying sets. A pregeometry is a closure operator with finite character and exchange. Algebraic closure in a strongly minimal theory is a pregeometry.