## Journal of Symbolic Logic

### Flag algebras

Alexander A. Razborov

#### Abstract

Asymptotic extremal combinatorics deals with questions that in the language of model theory can be re-stated as follows. For finite models $M, N$ of an universal theory without constants and function symbols (like graphs, digraphs or hypergraphs), let $p(M,N)$ be the probability that a randomly chosen sub-model of $N$ with $|M|$ elements is isomorphic to $M$. Which asymptotic relations exist between the quantities $p(M₁,N),…, p(M_h,N)$, where $M_1,…,M_h$ are fixed “template” models and $|N|$ grows to infinity? In this paper we develop a formal calculus that captures many standard arguments in the area, both previously known and apparently new. We give the first application of this formalism by presenting a new simple proof of a result by Fisher about the minimal possible density of triangles in a graph with given edge density.

#### Article information

Source
J. Symbolic Logic, Volume 72, Issue 4 (2007), 1239-1282.

Dates
First available in Project Euclid: 18 February 2008

https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.jsl/1203350785

Digital Object Identifier
doi:10.2178/jsl/1203350785

Mathematical Reviews number (MathSciNet)
MR2371204

Zentralblatt MATH identifier
1146.03013

#### Citation

Razborov, Alexander A. Flag algebras. J. Symbolic Logic 72 (2007), no. 4, 1239--1282. doi:10.2178/jsl/1203350785. https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.jsl/1203350785