Choose a maximal subset whose distinct points have Euclidean distance greater than one. The volumetric bound for Euclidean metric nets makes the construction finite: the open Euclidean balls of radius about the points of are disjoint and all lie in , so
Maximality means that is a metric net of radius one on the unit sphere. Thus every has some with . Since both are unit vectors,
Now intersect the corresponding closed half-spaces:
The Cauchy-Schwarz inequality shows that . Conversely, write any nonzero as and choose as above. Then , so . Hence , which also proves boundedness. This convex polytope has at most facets, since redundant inequalities can only reduce their number. It meets the required inclusions with .
Quadratic form net bound 2026-10-06
For a symmetric matrix and an -metric net of the unit sphere, with , approximate a maximizing unit vector by . Expanding bounds its absolute value by . Rearrangement proves the bound. The volumetric bound for Euclidean metric nets limits the number of needed directions, allowing a union bound to control a random matrix.
For independent Bernoulli distribution upper-triangular entries of a symmetric zero-diagonal adjacency matrix of a graph, put . For a unit vector , has sub-Gaussian variance proxy at most , by the Hoeffding lemma. Hence . The volumetric bound for Euclidean metric nets gives a -metric net of the unit sphere with at most points. The quadratic form net bound gives on that net. The union bound gives ; integrating this tail proves the displayed expectation bound.