This course introduces computational algebra as a tool to study the geometry of curves and surfaces in affine and projective space. The central objects of study are affine varieties and polynomial ideals, and the algebra-geometry dictionary captures relations between these two objects. The precise methods of studying polynomial ideals make use of monomial orderings, Grobner bases, and the Buchberger algorithm. Students have opportunities to program parts of these algorithms and to use software packages to illustrate key concepts. Further topics may include resultants, Zariski closure of algebraic sets, intersections of curves and surfaces, and multivariate polynomial splines.
Prerequisites
MAT 300 or MAT 500