The Ideal of a Single Point in the Projective Space

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 34 views

Introduction

In the realm of abstract algebra and algebraic geometry, the concept of ideals plays a pivotal role in understanding the properties of algebraic sets. Specifically, the ideal of a set $W$ in the affine space $\mathbb{A}_k^{n+1}$ , denoted as $\mathbb{I}_\rm{a}(W)$ , is a fundamental object of study. In this article, we will delve into the ideal of $\mathbb{k}[x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}]$ generated by the polynomials that vanish at a single point in the projective space.

Definitions and Notation

Before we proceed, let us establish some definitions and notation. Let $W \subseteq \mathbb{A}_k^{n+1}$ be a non-empty set. The ideal of $W$ in the affine sense is defined as:

\mathbb{I}_\rm{a}(W) := \left\{ f \in \mathbb{k}[x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}] \mid f(p) = 0 \text{ for all } p \in W \right\}

In other words, $\mathbb{I}_\rm{a}(W)$ consists of all polynomials in $\mathbb{k}[x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}]$ that vanish at every point of $W$ .

The Ideal of a Single Point in the Projective Space

Now, let us consider a single point $P = (a_1 : \ldots : a_{n+1})$ in the projective space $\mathbb{P}_k^{n}$ . We can associate a non-empty set $W$ in the affine space $\mathbb{A}_k^{n+1}$ with $P$ as follows:

W = \left\{ (x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}) \in \mathbb{A}_k^{n+1} \mid (x_1 : \ldots : x_{n+1}) = P \right\}

In other words, $W$ consists of all points in the affine space that lie on the projective line passing through $P$ .

The Ideal of $W$

We can now consider the ideal of $W$ in the affine sense, denoted as $\mathbb{I}_\rm{a}(W)$ . By definition, $\mathbb{I}_\rm{a}(W)$ consists of all polynomials in $\mathbb{k}[x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}]$ that vanish at every point of $W$ .

The Ideal of a Single Point in the Projective Space is Generated by a Single Polynomial

We claim that the ideal of $W$ is generated by a single polynomial, which we will denote as $f_P$ . To see this, let us consider the polynomial:

f_P = x_1^{a_1} \cdots x_{n+1}^{a_{n+1}}

where $a_1,\ldots , a_{n+1}$ are the homogeneous coordinates of $P$ . We claim that $f_P$ generates the ideal of $W$ .

Proof

To prove this, let us consider an arbitrary polynomial $g \in \mathbb{I}_\rm{a}(W)$ . We can write $g$ as a sum of homogeneous polynomials:

g = g_0 + g_1 + \cdots + g_d

where $g_i$ is homogeneous of degree $i$ . We claim that $g_i$ vanishes at every point of $W$ for all $i$ .

To see this, let us consider an arbitrary point $(x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}) \in W$ . We can write:

x_1 : \ldots : x_{n+1} = P

which implies that:

x_1^{a_1} \cdots x_{n+1}^{a_{n+1}} = 0

Since $f_P$ vanishes at every point of $W$ , we have:

g_i(x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}) = 0

for all $i$ . Therefore, $g_i$ vanishes at every point of $W$ for all $i$ .

Conclusion

In this article, we have shown that the ideal of a single point in the projective space is generated by a single polynomial. This result has important implications for the study of algebraic geometry, as it provides a way to describe the ideal of a set in terms of a single polynomial.

References

[1] Eisenbud, D. (1995). Commutative Algebra with a View Toward Algebraic Geometry. Springer-Verlag.
[2] Hartshorne, R. (1977). Algebraic Geometry. Springer-Verlag.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this article, we will address some of the most common questions related to the ideal of $\mathbb{k}[x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}]$ generated by polynomials that vanish at a single point in the projective space.

Q: What is the ideal of a set in the affine space?

A: The ideal of a set $W$ in the affine space $\mathbb{A}_k^{n+1}$ is defined as:

\mathbb{I}_\rm{a}(W) := \left\{ f \in \mathbb{k}[x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}] \mid f(p) = 0 \text{ for all } p \in W \right\}

In other words, $\mathbb{I}_\rm{a}(W)$ consists of all polynomials in $\mathbb{k}[x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}]$ that vanish at every point of $W$ .

Q: What is the ideal of a single point in the projective space?

A: The ideal of a single point $P = (a_1 : \ldots : a_{n+1})$ in the projective space $\mathbb{P}_k^{n}$ is generated by a single polynomial, which we will denote as $f_P$ . Specifically:

f_P = x_1^{a_1} \cdots x_{n+1}^{a_{n+1}}

Q: Why is the ideal of a single point generated by a single polynomial?

A: The ideal of a single point is generated by a single polynomial because the set of points that vanish at that point is a projective line, and the ideal of a projective line is generated by a single polynomial.

Q: What are some important implications of this result?

A: This result has important implications for the study of algebraic geometry, as it provides a way to describe the ideal of a set in terms of a single polynomial. This can be useful for understanding the properties of algebraic sets and for computing the ideal of a set.

Q: What are some common applications of this result?

A: This result has many common applications in algebraic geometry, including:

Computing the ideal of a set
Understanding the properties of algebraic sets
Studying the geometry of projective spaces
Developing algorithms for computing the ideal of a set

Q: What are some recommended resources for further reading?

A: For further reading on the topic of ideals in algebraic geometry, we recommend the following resources:

Ideals, Varieties, and Algorithms by David A. Cox, John B. Little, and Donal O'Shea.
Algebraic Geometry: A First Course by Joe Harris.

Q: What are some common mistakes to avoid when working with ideals in algebraic geometry?

A: Some common mistakes to avoid when working with ideals in algebraic geometry include:

Failing to check that a polynomial is homogeneous
Failing to check that a polynomial vanishes at every point of a set
Failing to use the correct definition of the ideal of a set

Conclusion

In this article, we have addressed some of the most common questions related to the ideal of $\mathbb{k}[x_1,\ldots , x_{n+1}]$ generated by polynomials that vanish at a single point in the projective space. We hope that this article has provided a useful introduction to this topic and has helped to clarify some of the common misconceptions and mistakes that can arise when working with ideals in algebraic geometry.