Consider such a set X⊆S(m,n). Clearly, S(m,n) and thus a fortiori X are finite sets. Then
x∈X∑xk≥i=1∑∣X∣(i−1)=∣X∣(∣X∣−1)/2, for all k=1,2,…,m,
and so
n∣X∣=x∈X∑k=1∑mxk=k=1∑mx∈X∑xk≥m∣X∣(∣X∣−1)/2,
hence n≥m(∣X∣−1)/2, therefore ∣X∣≤⌊m2n⌋+1. This bound is thus valid for all points, and we claim it is sharp in all cases,¹¹ so N(m,n)=⌊m2n⌋+1.
Let us now, for m=3, build a model set X with ∣X∣=⌊32n⌋+1.
When n=3k−1, the above expression evaluates at 2k, and one can use the triplets (0,k+1,2k−2), (1,k+2,2k−4), ..., (k−1,2k,0), (k,0,2k−1), (k+1,1,2k−3), ..., (2k−1,k−1,1).
When n=3k, the above expression evaluates at 2k+1, and one can use the triplets (0,k,2k), (1,k+1,2k−2), ..., (k,2k,0), (k+1,0,2k−1), (k+2,1,2k−3), ..., (2k,k−1,1).
When n=3k+1, the above expression evaluates at 2k+1, and one can use the triplets (0,k,2k+1), (1,k+1,2k−1), ..., (k,2k,1), (k+1,0,2k), (k+2,1,2k−2), ..., (2k,k−1,2).
Denote now, in the general case, n′=⌊m2n⌋ and m′=m−2. Then N(2,n′)=n′+1. We will describe how to build a model inductively.
¹¹N(2,n)=n+1=∣S(2,n)∣, as trivially seen, while N(2n,n)=2, given by e.g. (0,0,…,0,1,1,…,1) and (1,1,…,1,0,0,…,0).
Now ⌊m′2(n−n′)⌋≥⌊m2n⌋, since m′2(n−n′)≥m2n is equivalent to m(n−n′)≥(m−2)n, or 2n≥mn′, or n′≤m2n, patently true given the definition of n′, so the model for N(m′,n−n′) yields enough elements that may be adjoined to those of the model realizing N(2,n′), in order to create one for N(m,n) (valid, since m=m′+2 and n=(n−n′)+n′).
For the quite interesting particular case m=n, a model set X={x,y,z} with ∣X∣=⌊n2n⌋+1=3 is also easily built inductively.
Start with n=2 and x=(0,2),y=(2,0),z=(1,1). Have x=(x1,…,xk,2), y=(y1,…,yk,0), z=(z1,…,zk,1) already built, for some 1≤k<n−1, and build x=(z1,…,zk,0,2), y=(y1,…,yk,1,0), z=(x1,…,xk,2,1), until reaching the full n coordinates.