Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2021/ii/paper-1/25i/non-isomorphism-of-the-two-unions-of-lines/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 ii Paper 1 25I Non-isomorphism of the two unions of lines Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The three coordinate axes are the three irreducible components ofTheir common intersection is the origin. Likewise, if are distinct linear forms defining the three lines in , thenand its three irreducible components have only the origin in common. Any isomorphism of algebraic varieties would permute irreducible components and therefore map the origin of to the origin of .
Every defining polynomial has zero differential at the origin, soThe defining polynomial of is homogeneous of degree three, so its differential also vanishes at the origin, givingAn isomorphism induces an isomorphism of Zariski tangent spaces, which is impossible here. Hence and are not isomorphic. This is the tangent-space obstruction between two unions of three lines.
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