Projective Rectangles: A New Kind of Incidence Structure

Abstract: A projective rectangle is like a projective plane that has different lengths in two directions. We develop the basic theory of projective rectangles including incidence properties, projective subplanes, configuration counts, a partial Desargues's theorem, a construction from projective planes, and alternative formulations. In sequels we study harmonic conjugation and the graphs of lines and subplanes.