What happens to the group structure of an elliptic curve over a field when the discriminant = 0?











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Working on a question for a number theory class.



So, basically, it asks us what happens to the group structure of an elliptic curve over a field if the discriminant is equal to zero?



So, basically, what I've got is that either is crosses itself, or it ends up having a cusp. In either case, it does not have a well defined derivative at some point. Since lambda depends on a well defined derivative, if an elliptic curve has a singular point at (a, b), then elliptic curve addition would not be well defined for (a, b) + (a, b).



Is this right? Am I missing something else that happens to group structure?



EDIT: I guess, also, when they are this shape, we couldn't guarantee that a tangent line that intersected the line in two places intersected it in a third place. So, then, the operations aren't necessarily well defined anywhere? Is that more right?










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  • Do you mean discriminant?
    – Randall
    2 days ago










  • Yes. Sorry. Super tired. Haha. Edited the post.
    – Chris N-L
    2 days ago

















up vote
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down vote

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Working on a question for a number theory class.



So, basically, it asks us what happens to the group structure of an elliptic curve over a field if the discriminant is equal to zero?



So, basically, what I've got is that either is crosses itself, or it ends up having a cusp. In either case, it does not have a well defined derivative at some point. Since lambda depends on a well defined derivative, if an elliptic curve has a singular point at (a, b), then elliptic curve addition would not be well defined for (a, b) + (a, b).



Is this right? Am I missing something else that happens to group structure?



EDIT: I guess, also, when they are this shape, we couldn't guarantee that a tangent line that intersected the line in two places intersected it in a third place. So, then, the operations aren't necessarily well defined anywhere? Is that more right?










share|cite|improve this question









New contributor




Chris N-L is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.




















  • Do you mean discriminant?
    – Randall
    2 days ago










  • Yes. Sorry. Super tired. Haha. Edited the post.
    – Chris N-L
    2 days ago















up vote
2
down vote

favorite









up vote
2
down vote

favorite











Working on a question for a number theory class.



So, basically, it asks us what happens to the group structure of an elliptic curve over a field if the discriminant is equal to zero?



So, basically, what I've got is that either is crosses itself, or it ends up having a cusp. In either case, it does not have a well defined derivative at some point. Since lambda depends on a well defined derivative, if an elliptic curve has a singular point at (a, b), then elliptic curve addition would not be well defined for (a, b) + (a, b).



Is this right? Am I missing something else that happens to group structure?



EDIT: I guess, also, when they are this shape, we couldn't guarantee that a tangent line that intersected the line in two places intersected it in a third place. So, then, the operations aren't necessarily well defined anywhere? Is that more right?










share|cite|improve this question









New contributor




Chris N-L is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











Working on a question for a number theory class.



So, basically, it asks us what happens to the group structure of an elliptic curve over a field if the discriminant is equal to zero?



So, basically, what I've got is that either is crosses itself, or it ends up having a cusp. In either case, it does not have a well defined derivative at some point. Since lambda depends on a well defined derivative, if an elliptic curve has a singular point at (a, b), then elliptic curve addition would not be well defined for (a, b) + (a, b).



Is this right? Am I missing something else that happens to group structure?



EDIT: I guess, also, when they are this shape, we couldn't guarantee that a tangent line that intersected the line in two places intersected it in a third place. So, then, the operations aren't necessarily well defined anywhere? Is that more right?







group-theory elliptic-curves discriminant






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edited 2 days ago





















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New contributor





Chris N-L is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Chris N-L is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












  • Do you mean discriminant?
    – Randall
    2 days ago










  • Yes. Sorry. Super tired. Haha. Edited the post.
    – Chris N-L
    2 days ago




















  • Do you mean discriminant?
    – Randall
    2 days ago










  • Yes. Sorry. Super tired. Haha. Edited the post.
    – Chris N-L
    2 days ago


















Do you mean discriminant?
– Randall
2 days ago




Do you mean discriminant?
– Randall
2 days ago












Yes. Sorry. Super tired. Haha. Edited the post.
– Chris N-L
2 days ago






Yes. Sorry. Super tired. Haha. Edited the post.
– Chris N-L
2 days ago












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If the discriminant is zero, it's not an elliptic curve. Anyway,
consider an singular irreducible plane cubic curve $C$ over an algebraically
closed field.



A singular irreducible cubic has one singular point. The
non-singular points on the curve do have a group structure though. When $C$
has a node, the group of non-singular points is isomorphic to
the multiplicative group
$K^*$ and when $C$ has a cusp, the group is isomorphic to the additive
group of $K$.



You can find details in texts such as Silverman's.






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    1 Answer
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    If the discriminant is zero, it's not an elliptic curve. Anyway,
    consider an singular irreducible plane cubic curve $C$ over an algebraically
    closed field.



    A singular irreducible cubic has one singular point. The
    non-singular points on the curve do have a group structure though. When $C$
    has a node, the group of non-singular points is isomorphic to
    the multiplicative group
    $K^*$ and when $C$ has a cusp, the group is isomorphic to the additive
    group of $K$.



    You can find details in texts such as Silverman's.






    share|cite|improve this answer

























      up vote
      0
      down vote













      If the discriminant is zero, it's not an elliptic curve. Anyway,
      consider an singular irreducible plane cubic curve $C$ over an algebraically
      closed field.



      A singular irreducible cubic has one singular point. The
      non-singular points on the curve do have a group structure though. When $C$
      has a node, the group of non-singular points is isomorphic to
      the multiplicative group
      $K^*$ and when $C$ has a cusp, the group is isomorphic to the additive
      group of $K$.



      You can find details in texts such as Silverman's.






      share|cite|improve this answer























        up vote
        0
        down vote










        up vote
        0
        down vote









        If the discriminant is zero, it's not an elliptic curve. Anyway,
        consider an singular irreducible plane cubic curve $C$ over an algebraically
        closed field.



        A singular irreducible cubic has one singular point. The
        non-singular points on the curve do have a group structure though. When $C$
        has a node, the group of non-singular points is isomorphic to
        the multiplicative group
        $K^*$ and when $C$ has a cusp, the group is isomorphic to the additive
        group of $K$.



        You can find details in texts such as Silverman's.






        share|cite|improve this answer












        If the discriminant is zero, it's not an elliptic curve. Anyway,
        consider an singular irreducible plane cubic curve $C$ over an algebraically
        closed field.



        A singular irreducible cubic has one singular point. The
        non-singular points on the curve do have a group structure though. When $C$
        has a node, the group of non-singular points is isomorphic to
        the multiplicative group
        $K^*$ and when $C$ has a cusp, the group is isomorphic to the additive
        group of $K$.



        You can find details in texts such as Silverman's.







        share|cite|improve this answer












        share|cite|improve this answer



        share|cite|improve this answer










        answered 2 days ago









        Lord Shark the Unknown

        96.6k958128




        96.6k958128






















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