The indicator function $\mathbf{1}_L(x)$ of a line $L \subseteq \mathbb{F}_q^2$, valued in $\mathbb{R}$.
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The mean-zero indicator residue $\mathbf{1}_L(x) - 1/q$ of a single line $L \subseteq \mathbb{F}_q^2$ (with $q = |\mathbb{F}|$).
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The line counting function $L(x) = \sum_{L \in \mathcal{L}} \mathbf{1}_L(x)$ on $\mathbb{F}_q^2$.
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The high-frequency part $L_h(x) = \sum_{L \in \mathcal{L}} (\mathbf{1}_L(x) - 1/q)$ of the line counting function.
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The line-counting function splits as $L(x) = L_0 + L_h(x)$.
Exact inner product formula for two line residues on $\mathbb{F}_q^2$ (each line of size $q$): $\sum_x (\mathbf{1}_{L_1} - 1/q)(\mathbf{1}_{L_2} - 1/q) = |L_1 \cap L_2| - 1$.
Exact $L^2$ norm of the high-frequency part: when every pair of distinct lines in $\mathcal{L}$ meets in exactly one point, $\sum_x L_h(x)^2 = |\mathcal{L}| \cdot (q - 1)$.
Looser $L^2$ bound on the high-frequency part: $\sum_x L_h(x)^2 \leq |\mathcal{L}| \cdot q$.
The high-frequency part has total mass zero: $\sum_{x \in \mathbb{F}_q^2} L_h(x) = 0$.
Main Lemma in finite field. Let $\mathcal{L}$ be a collection of lines in $\mathbb{F}_q^2$ (each of cardinality $q$, with any two distinct lines meeting in exactly one point) and let $L(x) = \sum_{L \in \mathcal{L}} \mathbf{1}_L(x)$. Then $L = L_0 + L_h$ with $L_0$ constant and $L_h$ mean-zero, satisfying (i) $\sum_x L_h = 0$, (ii) $\sum_x L_0^2 = |\mathcal{L}|^2$, (iii) $\sum_x L_h^2 = |\mathcal{L}|(q - 1)$, and consequently $\sum_x L_h^2 \leq |\mathcal{L}| q$.