Flag-approximability of convex bodies and volume growth of Hilbert geometries

Abstract

We introduce the flag-approximability of a convex body to measure how easy it is to approximate by polytopes. We show that the flag-approximability is exactly half the volume entropy of the Hilbert geometry on the body, and that both quantities are maximized when the convex body is a Euclidean ball. We also compute explicitly the asymptotic volume of a convex polytope, which allows us to prove that simplices have the least asymptotic volume.