Unique smooth flex of a cuspidal cubic

ID: unique-smooth-flex-of-a-cuspidal-cubic

For , the determinant of the homogeneous Hessian matrix is . Its intersections with are the cusp and the smooth point . The Hessian criterion for a flex therefore gives a unique smooth flex, with tangent and contact order three. Consequently every pair consisting of a triple line and a cuspidal cubic meeting only at a smooth point is projectively equivalent to .

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