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Problem 1. Let f : X → Y be a finite mophism between two affine varieties. Show that the fibers of f are
finite.
Solution : Let f : X → Y be a finite morphism of affine varieties. Write Y = Spec B, X = Spec A, and let
the map f correspond to the ring map B → A. By definition of a finite morphism, A is a finitely generated
B-module; say
A = B · a1 + · · · + B · an .
Fix a (closed) point y ∈ Y with corresponding maximal ideal m ⊂ B and residue field κ(y) = B/m.
The fibre over y is
Xy = X ×Y Spec κ(y) = Spec A ⊗B κ(y) .
Tensoring the finite B-module presentation of A with κ(y) shows that
A ⊗B κ(y) = κ(y) · ā1 + · · · + κ(y) · ān ,
where āi denotes the image of ai in A ⊗B κ(y). Thus A ⊗B κ(y) is a finite-dimensional vector space over the
field κ(y).
A finite-dimensional algebra over a field is Artinian, so it has only finitely many prime (indeed
maximal) ideals. Therefore Spec(A ⊗B κ(y)) is a finite set, i.e. the fibre Xy = f −1 (y) is finite. Since y was
arbitrary, every fibre of f is finite. ◀
Problem 2. Show that the quadric surfaces Q1 , Q2 in P3 given by equations Q1 : xy = zw; ; Q2 : xy = z 2
are normal.
Solution : For Q1 : xy = zw, set F1 (x, y, z, w) = xy − zw. The partial derivatives are
∂F1 ∂F1 ∂F1 ∂F1
= y, = x, = −w, = −z.
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂w
These vanish simultaneously only at (0, 0, 0, 0), which is not a projective point. Hence Q1 is nonsingular,
and therefore normal.
For Q2 : xy = z 2 , the only singular point is the vertex [0 : 0 : 0 : 1]. On the affine chart w = 1 the
coordinate ring is
A = k[x, y, z]/(z 2 − xy).
Since z 2 − xy is irreducible and xy is square-free, A is a domain and normal. Thus Q2 is normal at the
vertex, and smooth elsewhere.
Therefore both Q1 and Q2 are normal surfaces. ◀
Problem 3. Show that the cuspidal cubic y 2 = x3 in A2 is not normal.
Solution : Consider the cuspidal cubic
C : y 2 = x 3 ⊂ A2 ,
with coordinate ring
A = k[x, y]/(y 2 − x3 ).
There is a parametrization x = t2 , y = t3 , which identifies A =∼ k[t2 , t3 ] ⊂ k[t]. The element t satisfies the
monic polynomial
T2 − x = 0
/ A, since A = k[t2 , t3 ] is a proper subring of k[t].
with coefficients in A, hence t is integral over A. But t ∈
Thus A is not integrally closed, so C is not normal.
Problem 4. Group Varieties: A group variety consists of a variety Y together with a morphism µ : Y × Y →
Y , such that the set of points of Y with the operation given by µ is a group, and such that the inverse map
y 7→ y −1 is also a morphism of Y → Y .
[Link] 2
(a) The additive group Ga is given by the variety A1 and the morphism µ : A2 → A1 defined by
µ(a, b) = a + b. Show it is a group variety.
(b) The multiplicative group Gm is given by the variety A1 − 0 and the morphism µ(a, b) = ab. Show it
is a group variety.
(c) If G is a group variety, and X is any variety, show that the set Hom(X, G) has a natural group structure.
(d) For any variety X, show that Hom(X, Ga ) is isomorphic to O(X) as a group under addition.
(e) For any variety X, show that Hom(X, Gm ) is isomorphic to the group of units in O(X), under multi-
plication.
Solution : (a) The additive group Ga is given by the variety A1 with group law
µ : A1 × A1 → A1 , (a, b) 7→ a + b.
This is clearly associative and has identity element 0 ∈ A1 . The inverse map is given by
ι : A1 → A1 , y 7→ −y,
which is also a morphism of varieties. Hence Ga is a group variety.
(b) The multiplicative group Gm is given by the variety A1 \ {0} with group law
µ : Gm × Gm → Gm , (a, b) 7→ ab.
This is associative, with identity element 1, and the inverse map
ι : Gm → Gm , y 7→ y −1
is a morphism. Thus Gm is a group variety.
(c) If G is a group variety and X is any variety, then for two morphisms f, g ∈ Hom(X, G) we
define
(f · g)(x) := µ(f (x), g(x)).
This operation is associative, has identity given by the constant map x 7→ eG , and inverse given by f −1 (x) =
(f (x))−1 . Hence Hom(X, G) inherits a natural group structure.
(d) For X any variety, a morphism f ∈ Hom(X, Ga ) is the same as a regular function f ∈ O(X).
The group law on Ga is addition, so
(f + g)(x) = f (x) + g(x),
which is exactly the addition in O(X). Hence
Hom(X, Ga ) ∼
= O(X)
as groups.
(e) For X any variety, a morphism f ∈ Hom(X, Gm ) corresponds to a regular function f ∈ O(X)
such that f (x) ̸= 0 for all x, i.e. an invertible element of O(X). Under the group law of Gm , we have
(f · g)(x) = f (x)g(x),
which is multiplication in O(X)× . Hence
Hom(X, Gm ) ∼
= O(X)×
as groups. ◀