Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2019/ii/paper-4/24f/a/iii/solution

For any smooth projective curve of genus , a canonical divisor has degree . If this plane curve had genus two, part (ii) would imply
so . The quadratic discriminant is , which is not a perfect square, so the equation has no integral solution. Thus a smooth projective plane curve cannot have genus two, as recorded by no smooth plane curve has genus two.

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