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Cayley's nodal cubic surface
Encyclopedia
In algebraic geometry
, the Cayley surface,named after Arthur Cayley
, is a cubic surface
in 3-dimensional projective space
with four conical points. It can be given by the equation
![](http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images/formulas/6/3/4638692-1.gif)
when the four singular points are those with three vanishing coordinates.
Changing variables gives several other simple equations defining the Cayley surface.
Algebraic geometry
Algebraic geometry is a branch of mathematics which combines techniques of abstract algebra, especially commutative algebra, with the language and the problems of geometry. It occupies a central place in modern mathematics and has multiple conceptual connections with such diverse fields as complex...
, the Cayley surface,named after Arthur Cayley
Arthur Cayley
Arthur Cayley F.R.S. was a British mathematician. He helped found the modern British school of pure mathematics....
, is a cubic surface
Cubic surface
A cubic surface is a projective variety studied in algebraic geometry. It is an algebraic surface in three-dimensional projective space defined by a single polynomial which is homogeneous of degree 3...
in 3-dimensional projective space
Projective space
In mathematics a projective space is a set of elements similar to the set P of lines through the origin of a vector space V. The cases when V=R2 or V=R3 are the projective line and the projective plane, respectively....
with four conical points. It can be given by the equation
![](http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images/formulas/6/3/4638692-1.gif)
when the four singular points are those with three vanishing coordinates.
Changing variables gives several other simple equations defining the Cayley surface.