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An elliptic curve in characteristic zero admits no nonconstant rational map of projective varieties from the projective line. Over $\mathbb{C}$, write its equation as $y^2={\prod }_{j=1}^3(x-e_j)$ with distinct $e_j$. Substituting $x=u/v$ with coprime polynomials gives $(y{v}^2{)}^2=v{\prod }_j(u-e_{j}v)$. These four pairwise coprime factors must all be squares. The polynomial pencil with four square members forces $u,v$ constant, ruling out a nonconstant rational parametrization of an algebraic curve.

Here is an elementary polynomial pencil with four square members argument. Suppose first that $u,v$ are linearly dependent. Their coprimality of polynomials then forces both to be constant. Otherwise write the four distinct members as $L_j={\alpha }_{j}u+{\beta }_{j}v=s_j^2$. They are nonzero and pairwise coprime polynomials: a common nonconstant factor of two members would divide both $u$ and $v$.

Put $d=\max (\mathrm{deg}u,\mathrm{deg}v)>0$. At most one member of the pencil has degree of a polynomial smaller than $d$, since cancellation of its leading coefficient determines a unique projective pair. Choose a member $L_k$ of minimal degree $e$ and any independent member $L_l$ of degree $d$. The polynomialis nonzero: otherwise the rational function $L_k/L_l$ would have zero derivative, hence would be constant in characteristic zero. Its degree is at most $d+e-1$; if both members have degree zero the original $d>0$ assumption has already failed.

Replacing this pair by any other independent pair changes $W$ only by a nonzero scalar. Since $L_j=s_j^2$, each $s_j$ divides $W$. The pairwise coprimality of polynomials therefore gives ${\prod }_j{s}_j\mid W$. But three members have degree $d$, soa contradiction. Consequently $u$ and $v$ are constant. The possibility that a member is zero was already covered by linear dependence.

To apply this to an elliptic curve, complete the square in its Weierstrass equation of an elliptic curve and work over $\mathbb{C}$. Nonsingularity gives three distinct roots $e_1,e_2,e_3$, so the equation becomes $y^2={\prod }_{j=1}^3(x-e_j)$. A nonconstant rational parametrization of an algebraic curve would have $x=u/v$ with coprime polynomials. Clearing denominators givesThe four factors are pairwise coprime polynomials. A rational function whose square is a polynomial is itself a polynomial, by comparing numerator and denominator in lowest terms. Unique factorization, and the fact that every nonzero complex constant has a square root, make each of these four factors a square in $\mathbb{C}[t]$. They correspond to four distinct projective pairs. The result just proved forces $u,v$ to be constant, and the equation then forces $y$ to be constant as well. This proves the nonparametrizability of an elliptic curve.

For the first algebraic curve, a hyperbola, use the line $y=1+tx$ through $(0,1)$. Substitution and cancellation of the known intersection give $x((1-t^2)x-2t)=0$. Thus a rational parametrization of an algebraic curve isThe identity $y^2-x^2=1$ follows immediately. Away from $(0,1)$ its inverse is $t=(y-1)/x$; the exceptional point is recovered at $t=0$. The other point with $x=0$, namely $(0,-1)$, corresponds to $t=\infty$, while $t=\pm 1$ gives the points at infinity on the projective closure. This explains the exceptional parameters rather than discarding them.

For the second algebraic curve, the rational parametrization of an algebraic curvehas inverse $t=y/x$ where $x\ne 0$, and $t=0$ gives the cusp. Indeed, if $x\ne 0$ and $y^2=x^3$, then $(y/x{)}^2=x$ and $(y/x{)}^3=y$. Both curves admit rational parametrizations, although the second has a singular point.