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1 change: 1 addition & 0 deletions Cslib.lean
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ public import Cslib.Foundations.Data.DecidableEqZero
public import Cslib.Foundations.Data.FinFun.Basic
public import Cslib.Foundations.Data.FinFun.Update
public import Cslib.Foundations.Data.HasFresh
public import Cslib.Foundations.Data.List.IsChainFromTo
public import Cslib.Foundations.Data.Nat.Segment
public import Cslib.Foundations.Data.OmegaSequence.Defs
public import Cslib.Foundations.Data.OmegaSequence.Flatten
Expand Down
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ def TimeComputable.comp {f g : List Symbol → List Symbol}
(hg.timeBound (f a).length) hg_outputsFun
-- Therefore, the computer reduces a to g (f a) in the sum of those times.
have h_a_reducesTo_g_f_a := RelatesWithinSteps.trans h_a_reducesTo_f_a h_f_a_reducesTo_g_f_a
apply RelatesWithinSteps.of_le h_a_reducesTo_g_f_a
refine RelatesWithinSteps.mono ?_ h_a_reducesTo_g_f_a
refine Nat.add_le_add_left ?_ (hf.timeBound a.length)
· apply h_mono
-- Use the lemma about output length being bounded by input length + time
Expand Down
194 changes: 194 additions & 0 deletions Cslib/Foundations/Data/List/IsChainFromTo.lean
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,194 @@
/-
Copyright (c) 2026 Christian Reitwiessner. All rights reserved.
Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
Authors: Christian Reitwiessner
-/

module

public import Cslib.Init
public import Mathlib.Data.List.Chain
public import Mathlib.Data.List.Nodup
public import Mathlib.Logic.Relation

/-! # Chains with a designated start and end

This file defines `List.IsChainFromTo`, a variant of `List.IsChain` that also fixes the first and
last element of the chain. Such a chain is an explicit witness for the fact that its end point is
reachable from its start point, and its length bounds the number of steps that are needed.

## Main definitions

* `List.IsChainFromTo r chain a b`: `chain` is a non-empty list whose adjacent elements are related
by `r`, whose first element is `a` and whose last element is `b`.

## Main results

* `List.IsChainFromTo.reflTransGen`: the start and the end of a chain are related by
`Relation.ReflTransGen`.
* `List.IsChainFromTo.head_induction_on`: induction on a chain, peeling off elements at the start.
* `List.IsChainFromTo.exists_length_lt_of_not_nodup`: a chain with duplicates can always be
shortened.
* `List.IsChainFromTo.exists_nodup`: iterating the above yields a chain without duplicates.
-/

@[expose] public section

variable {α : Type*} {r : α → α → Prop} {chain : List α} {a b c : α}

/-- A "chain from to" is a list of elements where adjacent elements relate to each other
(cf. `List.IsChain`) and start and end with specific elements. -/
structure List.IsChainFromTo {α : Type*} (r : α → α → Prop) (chain : List α) (a b : α) : Prop where
isChain : chain.IsChain r
ne_nil : chain ≠ []
head_eq : chain.head ne_nil = a
getLast_eq : chain.getLast ne_nil = b

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attribute [grind →] List.IsChainFromTo.head_eq List.IsChainFromTo.getLast_eq

/-- A chain has at least one element. -/
@[grind →]
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.length_pos (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) : 0 < chain.length :=
List.length_pos_iff.mpr hc.ne_nil

/-- The first element of an `r`-chain from `a` to `b` is `a`. -/
@[grind →]
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.getElem_zero (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) :
chain[0]'hc.length_pos = a := by
rw [List.getElem_zero]
exact hc.head_eq

/-- The last element of an `r`-chain from `a` to `b` is `b`. -/
@[grind →]
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.getElem_length_sub_one (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) :
chain[chain.length - 1]'(by have := hc.length_pos; lia) = b := by
rw [List.getElem_length_sub_one_eq_getLast]
exact hc.getLast_eq

/-- The start and the end of an `r`-chain are reflexively-transitively related by `r`. -/
theorem List.IsChainFromTo.reflTransGen (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) :
Relation.ReflTransGen r a b := by
simpa [hc.head_eq, hc.getLast_eq] using
List.relationReflTransGen_of_exists_isChain chain hc.isChain hc.ne_nil

/-- Create a `List.IsChainFromTo` from a non-empty `List.IsChain`. -/
theorem List.IsChain.isChainFromTo_of_ne_nil
{chain : List α} (hc : chain.IsChain r) (h_ne_nil : chain ≠ []) :
List.IsChainFromTo r chain (chain.head h_ne_nil) (chain.getLast h_ne_nil) :=
⟨hc, h_ne_nil, rfl, rfl⟩

/-- A one-element list is an `r`-chain from that element to itself. -/
@[simp, grind ←]
lemma List.isChainFromTo_singleton : List.IsChainFromTo r [a] a a :=
⟨List.IsChain.singleton a, by simp, rfl, rfl⟩

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i think some further api lemmas for IsChainFromTo would be good — at very least this one can help with the proof of RelatesInSteps.exists_isChainFromTo

lemma List.IsChainFromTo.cons (h : r a b) (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r b c) :
    (a :: chain).IsChainFromTo r a c where
  isChain := hc.isChain.cons_of_ne_nil hc.ne_nil (hc.head_eq.symm ▸ h)
  ne_nil := cons_ne_nil a chain
  head_eq := head_cons
  getLast_eq := hc.getLast_eq ▸ chain.getLast_cons hc.ne_nil

i think some induction principles (in the style of, say, RelatesInSteps.head_induction_on) would also be helpful, but if this pr is blocking something else maybe that can wait (though they oughtn't be too hard)

/-- Prepend an `r`-related element to the start of the chain. -/
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.cons (h : r a b) (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r b c) :
(a :: chain).IsChainFromTo r a c where
isChain := hc.isChain.cons_of_ne_nil hc.ne_nil (hc.head_eq.symm ▸ h)
ne_nil := cons_ne_nil a chain
head_eq := head_cons
getLast_eq := hc.getLast_eq ▸ chain.getLast_cons hc.ne_nil

/-- A two-element list of `r`-related elements is an `r`-chain from the first to the second. -/
@[simp, grind ←]
lemma List.isChainFromTo_pair (h : r a b) : List.IsChainFromTo r [a, b] a b :=

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perhaps a more useful simp lemma would be:

@[simp]
lemma List.isChainFromTo_pair_iff {a a' b b' : α} :
    List.IsChainFromTo r [a, b] a' b' ↔ r a b ∧ a = a' ∧ b = b' := by
  constructor
  · rintro ⟨hc, _, rfl, rfl⟩
    simpa using hc
  · rintro ⟨h, rfl, rfl⟩
    constructor <;> simp_all

in that case the proof of List.IsChainFromTo.snoc is append_tail hc (chain' := [b, c]) (by simpa). i'm not sure about this though

⟨by simp [h], by simp, rfl, rfl⟩

/-- Removing the head yields a valid chain. -/
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.of_cons_cons {x y : α} (hc : (x :: y :: chain).IsChainFromTo r a b) :
(y :: chain).IsChainFromTo r y b :=
⟨hc.isChain.of_cons, cons_ne_nil _ _, head_cons, by grind⟩

/-- Appending a chain and the tail of a second one whose start point equals the end point of the
first yields a valid chain. -/
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.append_tail (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) {chain' : List α}
(hc' : chain'.IsChainFromTo r b c) : (chain ++ chain'.tail).IsChainFromTo r a c where
isChain := by
have hb : chain.dropLast ++ [b] = chain :=
hc.getLast_eq ▸ chain.dropLast_append_getLast hc.ne_nil
have hb' : [b] ++ chain'.tail = chain' := by simp [←hc'.head_eq]
rw [←hb] at hc ⊢
exact hc.isChain.append_overlap (l₃ := chain'.tail) (hb'.symm ▸ hc'.isChain) (cons_ne_nil b [])
ne_nil := append_ne_nil_of_left_ne_nil hc.ne_nil _
head_eq := head_append_left hc.ne_nil |>.trans hc.head_eq
getLast_eq := by grind

/-- Add an `r`-related element to the end of the chain. -/
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.snoc (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) (h : r b c) :
(chain ++ [c]).IsChainFromTo r a c :=
append_tail hc (chain' := [b, c]) (by simp [h])

/-- Appending a chain, dropping its last element and another chain whose start point equals
the end point of the first chain yields a valid chain. -/
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.append_dropLast (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) {chain' : List α}
(hc' : chain'.IsChainFromTo r b c) : (chain.dropLast ++ chain').IsChainFromTo r a c := by
convert hc.append_tail hc' using 1
nth_rw 1 [←chain'.cons_head_tail hc'.ne_nil, hc'.head_eq, append_cons, ←hc.getLast_eq,
dropLast_concat_getLast hc.ne_nil]

/-- Taking the first `i + 1` elements of a chain yields a chain from the same start point to
`chain[i]`. -/
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.take (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) {i : ℕ} (hi : i < chain.length) :
(chain.take (i + 1)).IsChainFromTo r a chain[i] := by
have : chain.take (i + 1) ≠ [] := by grind [ne_nil_iff_length_pos, length_take]
exact ⟨hc.isChain.take _, this, by grind, by grind [chain.getLast_take this]⟩

/-- Dropping the first `i` elements of a chain yields a chain from `chain[i]` to the same end
point. -/
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.drop (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) {i : ℕ} (hi : i < chain.length) :
(chain.drop i).IsChainFromTo r chain[i] b := by
have : chain.drop i ≠ [] := ne_nil_iff_length_pos.mpr <| chain.lt_length_drop hi
refine ⟨hc.isChain.drop _, this, chain.head_drop this, hc.getLast_eq ▸ chain.getLast_drop this⟩

@[elab_as_elim]
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.head_induction_on
{motive : ∀ {chain : List α} {a b : α}, chain.IsChainFromTo r a b → Prop}
(h_refl : ∀ {a : α}, motive (isChainFromTo_singleton (r := r) (a := a)))
(h_head : ∀ {a b c : α} {chain : List α} (hab : r a b) (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r b c),
motive hc → motive (hc.cons hab))
{chain : List α} {a b : α} (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) : motive hc := by
induction htail : chain.tail generalizing chain a with
| nil =>
obtain rfl : chain = [a] := by grind
grind
| cons a' tail ih =>
obtain rfl : chain = a :: a' :: tail := by grind
obtain ⟨hrel, hchain⟩ := isChain_cons_cons.mp hc.isChain
have : (a' :: tail).IsChainFromTo r a' b := hc.of_cons_cons
exact h_head hrel this (ih this rfl)

/-- Any element of an `r`-chain from `a` to `b` is reflexively-transitively related from `a`. -/
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.reflTransGen_of_mem (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) {x : α}

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could you add a "right" version (using .drop) please

(mem : x ∈ chain) :
Relation.ReflTransGen r a x := by
obtain ⟨i, hi, rfl⟩ := List.getElem_of_mem mem
exact (hc.take hi).reflTransGen

/-- If there is an `r`-chain from `a` to `b` with duplicates, then there is a shorter `r`-chain
from `a` to `b` (the one that skips the part between the duplicates). -/
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.exists_length_lt_of_not_nodup
(hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b)
(h_dup : ¬ chain.Nodup) :
∃ chain' : List α, chain'.IsChainFromTo r a b ∧ chain'.length < chain.length := by
simp only [nodup_iff_getElem?_ne_getElem?, not_forall, not_not] at h_dup
obtain ⟨i, j, h_ij, h_lt, h_eq⟩ := h_dup
use chain.take i ++ chain.drop j
split_ands
· apply IsChainFromTo.mk ..
· apply (hc.isChain.take _).append (hc.isChain.drop _)
grind [List.head?_drop, hc.isChain.getElem (i := i - 1)]
· grind [append_eq_nil_iff, drop_eq_nil_iff]
· grind
· grind
· grind
Comment thread
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/-- For any `r`-chain from `a` to `b` there is one without duplicates. -/
lemma List.IsChainFromTo.exists_nodup (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) :
∃ chain' : List α, chain'.IsChainFromTo r a b ∧ chain'.Nodup := by
induction hn : chain.length using Nat.strong_induction_on generalizing chain with
| h n ih =>
by_cases h_dup : chain.Nodup
· use chain, hc, h_dup
· obtain ⟨chain', hc', hlen⟩ := hc.exists_length_lt_of_not_nodup h_dup
exact ih chain'.length (hn ▸ hlen) hc' rfl
114 changes: 95 additions & 19 deletions Cslib/Foundations/Data/RelatesInSteps.lean
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -7,18 +7,28 @@ Authors: Bolton Bailey
module

public import Cslib.Init
public import Cslib.Foundations.Data.List.IsChainFromTo
public import Mathlib.Data.Set.Card
public import Mathlib.Logic.Relation

/-! # Relations Across Steps

This file defines `Relation.RelatesInSteps` (and `Relation.RelatesWithinSteps`).
These are inductively defines propositions that communicate whether a relation forms a
These are inductively defined propositions that communicate whether a relation forms a
chain of length `n` (or at most `n`) between two elements.

The lemma `RelatesInSteps.exists_isChainFromTo` allows to obtain a chain
(`List.IsChainFromTo`) of related elements that witness the reachability, and
`List.IsChainFromTo.relatesInSteps` is the converse direction.
`Relation.relatesInSteps_iff_exists_isChainFromTo` combines both.

Another result is `Relation.ReflTransGen.relatesInSteps_lt_encard`, which states that any element
reachable from `a` is reachable in fewer steps than there are elements reachable from `a`.
-/

@[expose] public section

variable {α : Type*} {r : α → α → Prop} {a b c : α}
variable {α : Type*} {r : α → α → Prop} {a b c : α} {n m : ℕ}

namespace Relation

Expand All @@ -37,6 +47,8 @@ theorem RelatesInSteps.reflTransGen (h : RelatesInSteps r a b n) : ReflTransGen
| refl => rfl
| tail _ _ _ _ h ih => exact .tail ih h

/-- If `b` is reachable from `a` via `r`, then they relate to each other for some number
of steps. -/
theorem ReflTransGen.relatesInSteps (h : ReflTransGen r a b) : ∃ n, RelatesInSteps r a b n := by
induction h with
| refl => exact ⟨0, .refl a⟩
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -100,9 +112,8 @@ lemma RelatesInSteps.succ_iff {a b : α} {n : ℕ} :
· rintro ⟨t', h_steps, h_red⟩
exact .tail _ t' b n h_steps h_red

lemma RelatesInSteps.succ' {a b : α} : ∀ {n : ℕ}, RelatesInSteps r a b (n + 1)
lemma RelatesInSteps.succ' {a b : α} {n : ℕ} (h : RelatesInSteps r a b (n + 1)) :
∃ t', r a t' ∧ RelatesInSteps r t' b n := by
intro n h
obtain ⟨t', hsteps, hstep⟩ := succ h
cases n with
| zero =>
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -147,6 +158,50 @@ lemma RelatesInSteps.map {α α' : Type*}
| tail t' t'' m _ hstep ih =>
exact .tail (g _) (g t') (g t'') m ih (hg t' t'' hstep)

/-! ## Translating between `RelatesInSteps` and chains (`List.IsChainFromTo`) -/

/-- If `b` is related to `a` via `r` in `n` steps, then there is an `r`-chain of `n + 1` elements
starting at `a` and ending at `b`.
This is similar to `List.exists_isChain_ne_nil_of_relationReflTransGen`, but also provides
a length guarantee. -/
lemma RelatesInSteps.exists_isChainFromTo {a b : α} {n : ℕ} (h : RelatesInSteps r a b n) :
∃ chain : List α, chain.IsChainFromTo r a b ∧ chain.length = n + 1 := by
induction h using RelatesInSteps.head_induction_on with
| hrefl => exact ⟨[b], List.isChainFromTo_singleton, rfl⟩
| @hhead a c n h' h ih =>
obtain ⟨l, hchain, hlen⟩ := ih
use a :: l, hchain.cons h'
simpa

/-- Any two elements along an `r`-chain are related in as many steps as their distance in the
chain. -/
lemma _root_.List.IsChain.relatesInSteps_getElem {chain : List α} (hc : chain.IsChain r)
(i k : ℕ) (hik : i + k < chain.length) :
RelatesInSteps r chain[i] chain[i + k] k := by
induction k with
| zero => exact .refl _
| succ k ih =>
apply RelatesInSteps.tail _ (chain[i + k]) _ k (ih (by lia))
apply List.IsChain.getElem hc

/-- If there is an `r`-chain of `n + 1` elements from `a` to `b`, then `a` and `b` are related
to each other in `n` steps. -/
lemma _root_.List.IsChainFromTo.relatesInSteps {chain : List α} {n : ℕ}
(hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) (hlen : chain.length = n + 1) :
RelatesInSteps r a b n := by
have hrel := _root_.List.IsChain.relatesInSteps_getElem hc.isChain 0 n (by lia)
simp only [Nat.zero_add] at hrel
have hlast : chain[n]'(by lia) = b := by simpa [hlen] using hc.getElem_length_sub_one
rwa [hc.getElem_zero, hlast] at hrel
Comment on lines +193 to +195

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Suggested change
simp only [Nat.zero_add] at hrel
have hlast : chain[n]'(by lia) = b := by simpa [hlen] using hc.getElem_length_sub_one
rwa [hc.getElem_zero, hlast] at hrel
have hlast : chain[n]'(by lia) = b := by simpa [hlen] using hc.getElem_length_sub_one
simpa [hc.getElem_zero, hlast] using hrel

maybe simpler?


/-- `a` and `b` are related in `n` steps exactly when there is an `r`-chain of `n + 1` elements
from `a` to `b`. -/
lemma relatesInSteps_iff_exists_isChainFromTo :
RelatesInSteps r a b n ↔ ∃ chain : List α, chain.IsChainFromTo r a b ∧ chain.length = n + 1 :=
⟨RelatesInSteps.exists_isChainFromTo, fun ⟨_, hc, hlen⟩ => hc.relatesInSteps hlen⟩

/-! ## RelatesWithinSteps - only requires an upper bound on the number of steps -/

/--
`RelatesWithinSteps` is a variant of `RelatesInSteps` that allows for a loose bound.
It states that `a` relates to `b` in *at most* `n` steps.
Expand All @@ -166,10 +221,8 @@ lemma RelatesWithinSteps.single {a b : α} (h : r a b) : RelatesWithinSteps r a
RelatesWithinSteps.of_relatesInSteps (RelatesInSteps.single h)

lemma RelatesWithinSteps.zero {a b : α} (h : RelatesWithinSteps r a b 0) : a = b := by
obtain ⟨m, hm, hevals⟩ := h
have : m = 0 := Nat.le_zero.mp hm
subst this
exact RelatesInSteps.zero hevals
obtain ⟨_, hm, hevals⟩ := h
simp_all

@[simp]
lemma RelatesWithinSteps.zero_iff {a b : α} : RelatesWithinSteps r a b 0 ↔ a = b := by
Expand All @@ -186,22 +239,20 @@ lemma RelatesWithinSteps.trans {a b c : α} {n₁ n₂ : ℕ}
RelatesWithinSteps r a c (n₁ + n₂) := by
obtain ⟨m₁, hm₁, hevals₁⟩ := h₁
obtain ⟨m₂, hm₂, hevals₂⟩ := h₂
use m₁ + m₂
constructor
· lia
· exact RelatesInSteps.trans hevals₁ hevals₂
exact ⟨m₁ + m₂, by lia, hevals₁.trans hevals₂⟩

lemma RelatesWithinSteps.of_le {a b : α} {n₁ n₂ : ℕ}
(h : RelatesWithinSteps r a b n₁) (hn : n₁ ≤ n₂) :
RelatesWithinSteps r a b n₂ := by
obtain ⟨m, hm, hevals⟩ := h
/-- If two elements `a` and `b` are related in at most `n₁` steps in the relation `r` and
`n₁ ≤ n₂`, then they are also related in at most `n₂` steps. -/
lemma RelatesWithinSteps.mono {a b : α} : Monotone (RelatesWithinSteps r a b ·) := by
intro n₁ n₂ hn ⟨m, hm, hevals⟩
exact ⟨m, Nat.le_trans hm hn, hevals⟩

/-- If `h : α → ℕ` increases by at most 1 on each step of `r`,
then the value of `h` at the output is at most `h` at the input plus the step bound. -/
lemma RelatesWithinSteps.apply_le_apply_add {a b : α} {m : ℕ} (hevals : RelatesWithinSteps r a b m)
(h : α → ℕ) (h_step : ∀ a b, r a b → h b ≤ h a + 1)
:
lemma RelatesWithinSteps.apply_le_apply_add {a b : α} {m : ℕ}
(hevals : RelatesWithinSteps r a b m)
(h : α → ℕ)
(h_step : ∀ a b, r a b → h b ≤ h a + 1) :
h b ≤ h a + m := by
obtain ⟨m, hm, hevals_m⟩ := hevals
have := RelatesInSteps.apply_le_apply_add hevals_m h h_step
Expand All @@ -218,4 +269,29 @@ lemma RelatesWithinSteps.map {α α' : Type*} {r : α → α → Prop} {r' : α'
obtain ⟨m, hm, hevals⟩ := h
exact ⟨m, hm, RelatesInSteps.map g hg hevals⟩

/-! ## Reachability under a bound on the number of reachable elements -/

/-- A more precise version of `ReflTransGen.relatesInSteps`: if `b` is reachable from `a`, then it
is related to `a` in fewer steps than there are elements reachable from `a`.
Note that this cardinality is an `ℕ∞`, and if it is infinite, no bound on the number of steps
is stated. -/
theorem ReflTransGen.relatesInSteps_lt_encard {b : α} (h : ReflTransGen r a b) :

@thomaskwaring thomaskwaring Aug 20, 2026

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possibly this whole proof could be simplified using List.IsChainFromTo.exists_noDup suggested above, something like:

    ... := by
  obtain ⟨_, hn⟩ := h.relatesInSteps
  obtain ⟨chain, hc, _⟩ := hn.exists_isChainFromTo
  replace ⟨chain, hc, h⟩ := hc.exists_noDup
  use chain.length - 1, RelatesInSteps.of_isChainFromTo hc
  suffices hcard : chain.length ≤ {x | ReflTransGen r a x}.encard by
    by_contra! hcard'
    grind [ENat.natCast_le_natCast, hcard.trans hcard']
  classical
  rw [←List.toFinset_card_of_nodup h, ←Set.encard_coe_eq_coe_finsetCard, List.coe_toFinset]
  apply Set.encard_le_encard
  intro y hy
  obtain ⟨i, hi, rfl⟩ := List.getElem_of_mem hy
  have := RelatesInSteps.of_isChain hc.isChain 0 i
  grind [RelatesInSteps.reflTransGen]

which feels a little conceptually clearer to me (especially with hsub extracted as a lemma), but that could be a matter of taste

∃ n, RelatesInSteps r a b n ∧ (n : ℕ∞) < {x | ReflTransGen r a x}.encard := by

@ctchou ctchou Aug 12, 2026

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Personally I think the last part of the statement would have been clearer if you explicitly require the set being finite for the cardinality comparison. But that's just me and I don't insist on it.

More seriously, it seems to me that the real mathematical content of this theorem is that there is a shortest path from a to b in which there is no duplication of elements. I think you should try to phrase and prove that theorem in terms of List.IsChain and then derive this theorem as a corollary.

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I think both versions (with finiteness and Finset.card / just .encard) have their advantages and disadvantages. I like the current version better because it can be used both for finite and infinite sets and is "sharp" in both versions.

About the "IsChain-only" theorem: I guess I wanted to limit myself to results that directly relate to RelatesInSteps, but you are right, this is the cleaner approach, I'll try.

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I was wondering if it makes sense to introduce a structure here:

/-- A "chain from to" is a list of elements where adjacent elements relate to each other
(cf. `List.IsChain`) and start and end with specific elements. -/
structure _root_.List.IsChainFromTo {α : Type*}
    (r : α → α → Prop) (chain : List α) (a b : α) : Prop where
  h_chain : chain.IsChain r
  h_from : chain.head? = some a
  h_to : chain.getLast? = some b

/-- If there is an `r`-chain from `a` to `b` with duplicates, then there is a shorter `r`-chain
from `a` to `b`. -/
lemma _root_.List.IsChainFromTo.exists_length_lt_of_not_nodup {chain : List α}
    (hc : chain.IsChainFromTo r a b) (h_dup : ¬ chain.Nodup) :
    ∃ chain' : List α, chain'.IsChainFromTo r a b ∧ chain'.length < chain.length := by

Additionally, this is now much more general and should probably move to mathlib (I'm a bit surprised that it is not there yet, but maybe I didn't find it) - should I just create a new file for that? Plus, this is probably relevant for the emerging graph theory section as well?

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Our usual procedure for Mathlib upstreaming is to leave them in the same file as any other proof, sometimes leaving a comment or in a section if it's several proofs. (If a comment is prefaced with TODO an issue will automatically open with that as its title)

@ctchou ctchou Aug 13, 2026

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Yes, I think List.IsChainFromTo is a good idea. I like putting the new definitions and theorems about List in a new file under Cslib/Foundations/Data/List/. The file can be removed after the mathlib upstreaming happens. Personally I find this approach more modular.

classical
-- Take any chain from `a` to `b` and remove its duplicates.
obtain ⟨n₀, hn₀⟩ := h.relatesInSteps
obtain ⟨chain₀, hc₀, -⟩ := hn₀.exists_isChainFromTo
obtain ⟨chain, hc, h_nodup⟩ := hc₀.exists_nodup
obtain ⟨n, hlen⟩ : ∃ n, chain.length = n + 1 := ⟨chain.length - 1, by have := hc.length_pos; lia⟩
refine ⟨n, hc.relatesInSteps hlen, ?_⟩
-- All elements of the chain are reachable from `a`, and they are pairwise distinct,
-- so the chain has at most as many elements as there are reachable elements.
have hsub : {x | x ∈ chain} ⊆ {x | ReflTransGen r a x} := fun _ hx => hc.reflTransGen_of_mem hx
have h_le : (chain.length : ℕ∞) ≤ {x | ReflTransGen r a x}.encard := by
rw [← List.coe_toFinset] at hsub
have := Set.encard_le_encard hsub
rwa [Set.encard_coe_eq_coe_finsetCard, List.toFinset_card_of_nodup h_nodup] at this
-- The chain has one more element than the number of steps.
exact lt_of_lt_of_le (by rw [hlen]; exact_mod_cast Nat.lt_succ_self n) h_le

end Relation
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