Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2020 ii Paper 1 24F Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
Let be a nonconstant holomorphic map of degree between compact connected Riemann surfaces. At , let be the ramification index of a holomorphic map. Choose a triangulation of containing every branch value among its vertices, and lift it to .
If the target triangulation has vertices, edges, and triangles, then the lifted triangulation has edges and triangles, because no branch value lies in an edge or face interior. For a target vertex , local degree counting givesConsequently the number of vertices above isWriting , the Euler characteristic is thereforeSince a compact orientable surface of genus has Euler characteristic , this Triangulation proof of the Riemann-Hurwitz formula givesor equivalently
Now extend a cubic polynomial to a degree-three holomorphic mapof the Riemann sphere. Both genera are zero, so Riemann--Hurwitz givesThe point at infinity is totally ramified with , contributing two. Thus the finite points contribute exactly two. There are consequently two cases.
If there is one finite ramification point , it has index three. Choose an affine source map sending zero to . Thenfor some , and integration givesAn affine target map subtracts and rescales by , yielding .
Otherwise there are two distinct finite ramification points, each of index two. Choose an affine source map sending and to them. The derivative of is then a nonzero multiple of :HenceThe affine target map givesTherefore the affine normal forms of a complex cubic polynomial are precisely
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 118 1 Solution 2026-09-28
Let be a complex manifold chart, with . The almost complex structure induced by a complex atlas isThus . On an overlap, the derivative of a holomorphic map is complex linear and hence commutes with multiplication by . The two coordinate definitions of therefore agree, so is globally well-defined.
The complexified cotangent bundle splits into the - and -eigenspaces of , locally spanned by and . A differential form of type (p, q) is a sumSplitting the exterior derivative according to type definesComplex conjugation sends to and conjugates the coefficient derivatives. Term by term this gives the complex conjugation of differential-form type identity
Let act on a -form byIt acts on a -form by . Therefore multiplies the component by and the component by , proving the d c operator formula
A holomorphic vector field is a holomorphic section of . On the affine chart , put . The projection isDirect differentiation givesIf is linear and homogeneous, the pushed-forward coefficients are consequently when , and when . They are holomorphic on .
More intrinsically, is a linear vector field on . Its flow preserves complex lines and induces the projective transformationsDifferentiating gives a globally defined projectivization of a linear vector field, whose expression on is the field just computed. This proves extension across the other affine charts.
Finally choose distinct complex numbers and the diagonal fieldIts projectivization vanishes at precisely when is proportional to , so is an eigenline. The distinct eigenvalues leave exactly the coordinate points. Hence has a holomorphic vector field with finitely many zeroes.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 118 2 Solution 2026-09-28
An irreducible complex analytic hypersurface in a complex manifold is a closed irreducible analytic subset of pure complex codimension one. A local defining function of a complex analytic hypersurface at is a holomorphic function on a neighbourhood such thatThe necessary local algebra is that the stalk is a regular local ring, hence a unique factorization domain, and that the local branches of a hypersurface germ determine finitely many height-one prime ideals. Each is principal; the product of their generators gives , and removing repeated factors makes it reduced. This also covers a globally irreducible hypersurface that has several local branches at a singular point.
A divisor on a complex manifold is a locally finite formal sum of irreducible analytic hypersurfaces with integer coefficients. On a sufficiently small , local defining functions give a meromorphic equation for . The quotients are nowhere-zero holomorphic functions. Gluing frames byproduces the holomorphic line bundle associated to a divisor , and gives its canonical meromorphic section with divisor .
The Euler sequence on complex projective spaceimplies . Taking the dual determinant yields the canonical bundle of complex projective spacewhere is a hyperplane divisor.
The hypotheses on the homogeneous polynomial say thatis a smooth projective hypersurface of degree , so its divisor line bundle is . The Adjunction formula givesThis is the canonical bundle of a smooth projective hypersurface.
Now fix an isomorphism and regard and as holomorphic sections of the same holomorphic line bundle. They have no common zero because . Their homogeneous coordinates therefore define a well-defined holomorphic mapIn a local frame, the quotientis a meromorphic function with divisor . Thus and , both with multiplicity one. The degree of a holomorphic map is therefore one. A nonconstant degree-one holomorphic map between compact connected Riemann surfaces is a biholomorphism, so the displayed map is biholomorphic.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 2 24F Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
If is a nonconstant holomorphic map between compact connected Riemann surfaces, its local degree at is the integer for which suitable local coordinates giveThe valency theorem states thatis independent of . This common value is the degree of a holomorphic map, denoted .
Now let be a nonconstant rational function of degree . If its distinct finite poles have orders , and its pole order at infinity is , thenThe derivative has a pole of order at each finite pole. When , the expansion shows that at infinity. Hence the degree of the derivative of a rational function isIn the first case , while in the second ; thereforeFor every , the lower bound is attained by , whose derivative has degree (with a constant assigned degree zero). For distinct , the functionhas simple poles, degree , and a derivative with double poles, so . Thus both rational bounds are sharp for every .
Let next be a nonconstant elliptic function for the period lattice . Its degree is the total order of its poles in a fundamental parallelogram; by the valency theorem, this is also the degree of the induced map . If these poles have orders , then , and has poles of orders . The degree of the derivative of an elliptic function is consequentlySince every nonconstant elliptic function has at least one pole and ,
Let be odd. The Weierstrass elliptic function supplies the lower-bound exampleIt has one pole modulo , of order , so its derivative has one pole of order . For the upper bound, choose distinct points modulo and nonzero constants with . The quasi-periodicity of the Weierstrass zeta function makeselliptic. It has exactly simple poles, while has double poles. Therefore the two bounds are attained for every required odd degree.
Rational function Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
A rational function is a quotient of polynomials, with nonzero. After cancelling common factors, it defines a holomorphic map from the Riemann sphere to itself.