Past exam of the geometry course of the University of Oxford / 2010 / B / 5 / e

The curves have no common component, since their intersection is finite. Let $R=0$ define the irreducible degree-$m$ curve $E$. Choose $p\in E$ outside $C\cap D$, and select $(\lambda ,\mu )\ne (0,0)$ with $\lambda P(p)+\mu Q(p)=0$. The polynomial $H=\lambda P+\mu Q$ is not identically zero, since $P,Q$ are not proportional.

The degree-$n$ curve $H=0$ meets $E$ at the prescribed $nm$ base points and also at $p$. If $R$ did not divide $H$, irreducibility of $R$ and the Bézout theorem would bound the number of distinct intersections by $nm$, contradicting these $nm+1$ points. ThusAt every remaining common zero of $P,Q$ lying off $E$, $R$ is nonzero and hence $S=0$. ThereforeThis is residual intersection through a curve pencil. The existence of a point $p$ outside the finite base locus is automatic on the projective curve $E$.