Conics and Cubics. A Concrete Introduction to Algebraic Curves

Bix, Robert

ISBN 10: 0387984011 / ISBN 13: 9780387984018

Verlag: Springer, 1998

First edition, first printing, 308 pp., Hardcover, new. - If you are reading this, this item is actually (physically) in our stock and ready for shipment once ordered. We are not bookjackers. Buyer is responsible for any additional duties, taxes, or fees required by recipient's country. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers ZB1338402

Inhaltsangabe:

Algebraic curves are the graphs of polynomial equations in two vari­ 3 ables, such as y3 + 5xy2 = x + 2xy. By focusing on curves of degree at most 3-lines, conics, and cubics-this book aims to fill the gap between the familiar subject of analytic geometry and the general study of alge­ braic curves. This text is designed for a one-semester class that serves both as a a geometry course for mathematics majors in general and as a sequel to college geometry for teachers of secondary school mathe­ matics. The only prerequisite is first-year calculus. On the one hand, this book can serve as a text for an undergraduate geometry course for all mathematics majors. Algebraic geometry unites algebra, geometry, topology, and analysis, and it is one of the most exciting areas of modem mathematics. Unfortunately, the subject is not easily accessible, and most introductory courses require a prohibitive amount of mathematical machinery. We avoid this problem by focusing on curves of degree at most 3. This keeps the results tangible and the proofs natural. It lets us emphasize the power of two fundamental ideas, homogeneous coordinates and intersection multiplicities.

Von der hinteren Coverseite:

Conics and Cubics is an accessible introduction to algebraic curves. Its focus on curves of degree at most three keeps results tangible and proofs transparent. Theorems follow naturally from high school algebra and two key ideas: homogenous coordinates and intersection multiplicities.

By classifying irreducible cubics over the real numbers and proving that their points form Abelian groups, the book gives readers easy access to the study of elliptic curves. It includes a simple proof of Bezout's Theorem on the number of intersections of two curves.

The book is a text for a one-semester course on algebraic curves for junior-senior mathematics majors. The only prerequisite is first-year calculus.

The new edition introduces the deeper study of curves through parametrization by power series. Two uses of parametrizations are presented: counting multiple intersections of curves and proving the duality of curves and their envelopes.

About the first edition:

"The book...belongs in the admirable tradition of laying the foundations of a difficult and potentially abstract subject by means of concrete and accessible examples."

- Peter Giblin, MathSciNet

Bibliografische Details

Titel: Conics and Cubics. A Concrete Introduction ...
Verlag: Springer
Erscheinungsdatum: 1998
Einband: Hardcover
Zustand: New