Harmonic conjugate points 2026-10-25
Distinct projective points on the projective line are harmonic conjugates relative to distinct when . Use the cross-ratio convention , where the brackets are two-by-two determinants. In an affine coordinate with , , the condition is . A complete quadrangle constructs the fourth point using joins and intersections only. Characteristic two is excluded because then , and the four points could not be distinct.
The four points form a projective frame: no three are collinear. By the allowed uniqueness theorem and cross-ratio invariance, useIntersecting the indicated projective lines givesA point of has coordinates . Intersecting with , whose equation is , gives . On that line use its first two homogeneous coordinates. The cross-ratio from (a)(ii) isThe characteristic of a field being zero ensures that . The construction is the diagonal-point property of a complete quadrangle, producing harmonic conjugate points.