In this introduction to commutative algebra, the author choses a route that leads the reader through the essential ideas, without getting embroiled in technicalities. He takes the reader quickly to the fundamentals of complex projective geometry, requiring only a basic knowledge of linear and multilinear algebra and some elementary group theory. The author divides the book into three parts. In the first, he develops the general theory of noetherian rings and modules. He includes a certain amount of homological algebra, and he emphasizes rings and modules of fractions as preparation for working with sheaves. In the second part, he discusses polynomial rings in several variables with coefficients in the field of complex numbers. After Noether's normalization lemma and Hilbert's Nullstellensatz, the author introduces affine complex schemes and their morphisms; he then proves Zariski's main theorem and Chevalley's semi-continuity theorem. Finally, the author's detailed study of Weil and Cartier divisors provides a solid background for modern intersection theory. This is an excellent textbook for those who seek an efficient and rapid introduction to the geometric applications of commutative algebra.

In this introduction to commutative algebra, the author choses a route that leads the reader through the essential ideas, without getting embroiled in technicalities. He takes the reader quickly to the fundamentals of complex projective geometry, requiring only a basic knowledge of linear and multilinear algebra and some elementary group theory. The author divides the book into three parts. In the first, he develops the general theory of noetherian rings and modules. He includes a certain amount of homological algebra, and he emphasizes rings and modules of fractions as preparation for working with sheaves. In the second part, he discusses polynomial rings in several variables with coefficients in the field of complex numbers. After Noether's normalization lemma and Hilbert's Nullstellensatz, the author introduces affine complex schemes and their morphisms; he then proves Zariski's main theorem and Chevalley's semi-continuity theorem. Finally, the author's detailed study of Weil and Cartier divisors provides a solid background for modern intersection theory. This is an excellent textbook for those who seek an efficient and rapid introduction to the geometric applications of commutative algebra.

A volume of papers describing new methods in algebraic geometry.

Projective geometry is one of the most fundamental and at the same time most beautiful branches of geometry. It can be considered the common foundation of many other geometric disciplines like Euclidean geometry, hyperbolic and elliptic geometry or even relativistic space-time geometry. This book offers a comprehensive introduction to this fascinating field and its applications. In particular, it explains how metric concepts may be best understood in projective terms. One of the major themes that appears throughout this book is the beauty of the interplay between geometry, algebra and combinatorics. This book can especially be used as a guide that explains how geometric objects and operations may be most elegantly expressed in algebraic terms, making it a valuable resource for mathematicians, as well as for computer scientists and physicists. The book is based on the author’s experience in implementing geometric software and includes hundreds of high-quality illustrations.

In this introduction to commutative algebra, the author choses a route that leads the reader through the essential ideas, without getting embroiled in technicalities. He takes the reader quickly to the fundamentals of complex projective geometry, requiring only a basic knowledge of linear and multilinear algebra and some elementary group theory. The author divides the book into three parts. In the first, he develops the general theory of noetherian rings and modules. He includes a certain amount of homological algebra, and he emphasizes rings and modules of fractions as preparation for working with sheaves. In the second part, he discusses polynomial rings in several variables with coefficients in the field of complex numbers. After Noether's normalization lemma and Hilbert's Nullstellensatz, the author introduces affine complex schemes and their morphisms; he then proves Zariski's main theorem and Chevalley's semi-continuity theorem. Finally, the author's detailed study of Weil and Cartier divisors provides a solid background for modern intersection theory. This is an excellent textbook for those who seek an efficient and rapid introduction to the geometric applications of commutative algebra.

Easily accessible Includes recent developments Assumes very little knowledge of differentiable manifolds and functional analysis Particular emphasis on topics related to mirror symmetry (SUSY, Kaehler-Einstein metrics, Tian-Todorov lemma)