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The osculating of a certain curve in [4]

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2009

W. L. Edge
W. L. Edge
Affiliation:
Mathematical Institute, 20 Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1HZ
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The equation of the osculating plane at a point on the complete irreducible curve of intersection of two algebraic surfaces in [3] was found by Hesse (5, p. 283); the plane, having to contain the tangent of the curve, belongs to the pencil spanned by the tangent planes of the two surfaces, and it is a question of determining which plane of the pencil to choose. The equation also appears in the books of Salmon (6, p. 378) and Baker (1, p. 206). The analogous problem for the osculating solid at a point on the complete irreducible curve of intersection of three algebraic primals, or threefolds, in [4] does not appear to have been considered. The simplest instance is the octavic curve C of intersection of three quadrics, and this has the special interest of being a canonical curve; moreover the quadrics are of the same order, and so can be replaced by any three linearly independent members of the net which they determine, a replacement of which it may be prudent to take advantage with a view to simplifying the algebra. It is a question of determining which solid to choose among the tangent solids to the quadrics of the net at a point on C, but while Hesse's methods serve to carry one a certain distance there seems no obvious way of pushing them to a conclusion. It is then natural, with a view to reaching a conclusion, to choose a net of quadrics that, through having some particular property, is more amenable.

Type
Articles
Information
Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society , Volume 17 , Issue 3 , June 1971 , pp. 277 - 280
Copyright
Copyright © Edinburgh Mathematical Society 1971

References

REFERENCES

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