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Zac Maeder-Wolland: Some Daily AG Problems

  • Daily AG problems
  • Notations
  • Problem 32:Resolution of DuVal Singularities Part 1.

    July 31, 2026
    blowup, DuVal singularities, resolutions of singularities, surfaces, toric geometry

    Exercise: Resolve the 5 forms of DuVal Singularities (Part 1/5: $A_n$ singularities). The Minimal Model Program has specific conventions in the ways in which it classifies singularities on varieties. In…

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  • Problem 31: Hartshorne V.1.3.

    July 30, 2026
    surfaces

    Hartshorne Exercise V.1.3. Recall that the arithmetic genus of a projective scheme D of dimension 1 is defined as $p_a=1-\chi(\OO_D)$ (III, Ex. 5.3). (a) If $D$ is an effective divisor…

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  • Problem 30: Hartshorne II.6.5

    July 29, 2026
    quadric hypersurfaces

    Hartshorne Exercise II.6.5. Quadric Hypersurfaces. Let $\op{char} k \ne 2$, and let $X$ be the affine quadric hypersurface $\spec{ k[x_0,…,x_n]/(x_0^2+…+x_r^2)}$ cf. (I, Ex. 5.12).(a) Show that $X$ is normal if…

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  • Problem 29: Hartshorne II.6.3*

    July 28, 2026
    cones

    Hartshorne Exercise II.6.3. Cones. In this exercise we compare the class group of a projective variety $V$ to the class group of its cone (I,Ex.2.10). So let V be a…

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  • Problem 27: Hartshorne II.3.7

    July 26, 2026
    commutative algebra, morphisms

    Hartshorne Exercise II.3.7. A morphism $f:X \ra Y$, with Y irreducible, is generically finite if $f^{-1}(\eta)$ is a finite set, where $\eta$ is the generic point of Y. A morphism…

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  • Problem 26: Hartshorne II.6.2*

    July 25, 2026
    divisors

    Hartshorne Exercise II.6.2. 6.2. Varieties in Projective Space. Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field, and let $X$ be a closed subvariety of $\PP{k}{n}$ which is nonsingular in codimension one…

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  • Problem 25: Hartshorne II.6.4.

    July 24, 2026
    commutative algebra

    Hartshorne Exercise II.6.4. Let $k$ be a field of characteristic $\ne 2$. Let $f\in k[x_1,…,x_n]$ be a squarefree nonconstant polynomial, i.e., in the unique factorization of $f$ into irreducible polynomials,…

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  • Problem 24: Hartshorne II.6.1

    July 23, 2026
    divisors

    Hartshorne Exercise II.6.1. Let $X$ be a scheme satisfying $(*)$. Then $X\times\PP{k}{n}$ also satisfies $(*)$,and $\op{Cl}(X\times\PP{k}{n})\cong \op{Cl}X\times \Z$. Let $\pi_1,\pi_2$ be the first and second projections of $X\times\PP{k}{n}$. Clearly $X\times\PP{k}{n}$…

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  • Problem 23: Hartshorne II.7.1

    July 22, 2026
    coherent sheaves

    Hartshorne Exercise II.7.1. Let $(X,\OO_X)$ be a locally ringed space, and let $f:\mathcal{L}\ra\mathcal{M}$ be a surjective map of invertible sheaves on $X$. Show that $f$ is an isomorphism. [Hint: Reduce…

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  • Problem 21: Beauville II.20

    July 20, 2026
    blowup, curves, surfaces

    Beauville Exercise II.20. Let C be curve on a smooth, projective surface S. Show that there is a morphism of smooth surfaces $\tilde{S}\rightarrow S$ such that the strict transform $\tilde{C}\subset\tilde{S}…

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  • Problem 20: Hartshorne IV.1.6

    July 19, 2026
    curves

    Hartshorne Exercise IV.1.6. Let $X$ be a curve of genus $g$. Show that there is a finite morphism $f:X\ra\PP{k}{1}$ of degree $\le g+1$. (Recall that the degree of a finite…

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  • Problem 19: Hartshorne IV.1.5

    July 18, 2026
    curves

    Hartshorne Exercise IV.1.5. For an effective divisor $D$ on a curve $X$ of genus $g$, show that $\dim |D|\le\deg D$. Furthermore, equality holds if and only if $D=0$ or $g=0$.…

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  • Problem 18: Hartshorne IV.1.3

    July 17, 2026
    curves

    Hartshorne Exercise IV.1.3. Let $X$ be an integral, separated, regular, one-dimensional scheme of finite type over $k$, which is not proper over $k$. Then $X$ is affine. [Hint: Embed $X$…

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  • Problem 17: Hartshorne IV.1.2

    July 16, 2026
    curves

    Hartshorne Exercise IV.1.2. Again let $X$ be a curve, and let $P_1,…,P_r\in X$ be points. Then there is a rational function $f\in \Bbb K(X)$ having poles (of some order) at…

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  • Problem 16: Hartshorne IV.1.1

    July 15, 2026
    curves

    Hartshorne Exercise V.1.1. Let $X$ be a curve, and let $P\in X$ be a point. Then there exists a nonconstant rational function $f\in \Bbb{K}(X)$, which is regular everywhere except at…

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  • Problem 15: Hartshorne V.1.4

    July 14, 2026
    surfaces

    Hartshorne Exercise V.1.4. (a) If a surface $X$ of degree $d$ in $\PP{k}{3}$ contains a straight line $C=\PP{k}{1}$, show that $C^2=2-d$. (b) Assume $\op{char}k=0$, and show for every $d\ge 1$,…

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  • Problem 14: Hartshorne V.1.11

    July 13, 2026
    surfaces

    Hartshorne Exercise V.1.11.In this problem, we assume that $X$ is a surface for which $\op{Num}X$ is finitely generated (i.e., any surface, if you accept the Neron~Severi theorem (Ex. 1.7) ).…

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  • Problem 13: Hartshorne V.1.9

    July 12, 2026
    surfaces

    Hartshorne Exercise V.1.9. (a) If $H$ is an ample divisor on a surface $X$, and $D$ is any divisor, show that $$(D^2)(H^2)\le(D.H)^2.$$ (b) Now let $X$ be a product of…

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  • Problem 12: Hartshorne V.3.3

    July 11, 2026
    blowup, surfaces

    Hartshorne Exercise V.3.3. Let $\pi:\tilde X\ra X$ be a monoidal transformation, and let $D$ be a very ample divisor on $X$. Show that $2\pi^*D-E$ is ample on $\tilde X$. [Hint:…

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  • Problem 11: Hartshorne V.3.2

    July 10, 2026
    blowup, surfaces

    Hartshorne Exercise V.3.2. Let $C$ and $D$ be curves on a surface $X$, meeting at a point $P$. Let $\pi:\tilde X\ra X$ be the monoidal transformation with center $P$. Show…

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  • Problem 10: Hartshorne V.1.6

    July 9, 2026
    surfaces

    Hartshorne Exercise V.1.5 (a) If $C$ is a curve of genus $g$, show that the diagonal $\Delta\subseteq C\times C$ has self intersection $\Delta^2=2-2g.$ (b) Let $l=C\times\text{pt}$ and $m=\text{pt}\times C.$ If…

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  • Problem 9: Hartshorne V.1.5

    July 8, 2026
    surfaces

    Hartshorne Exercise V.1.5 (a) If $X$ is a surface of degree $d$ in $\PP{k}{3}$, then $K^2=d(d-4)^2$. (b) If $X$ is a product of two nonsingular curves $C,C’$ of genus $g,g’$…

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  • Problem 8: Hartshorne V.1.2

    July 7, 2026
    Hilbert polynomial, surfaces

    Hartshorne Exercise V.1.2 Let $H$ be a very ample divisor on a surface $X$, corresponding to a projective embedding $X\subseteq\PP{k}{N}$. If we write the Hilbert polynomial of $X$ (III, Ex.…

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  • Problem 7: Hartshorne III.5.2

    July 6, 2026
    Hilbert polynomial, sheaf cohomology

    Hartshorne Exercise III.5.2. (a) Let $X$ be a projective scheme over a field $k$, let $\OO_X(1)$ be a very ample invertible sheaf on $X$ over $k$, and let $\mathcal{F}$ be…

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  • Problem 6: Hartshorne IV.3.3

    July 5, 2026
    curves

    Hartshorne Exercise IV.3.3. Let $X$ be a plane curve of degree 4. (a) Show that the effective canonical divisors on $X$ are exactly the divisors $X.L$, where $L$ is a…

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  • Problem 5: Hartshorne IV.3.1

    July 4, 2026
    curves

    Hartshorne Exercise IV.3.7. If $X$ is a curve of genus 2, show that a divisor $D$ is very ample $\iff$ $\deg D\ge 5$. Let $D$ be a divisor on a…

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  • Problem 4: Hartshorne II.5.8

    July 3, 2026
    coherent sheaves, commutative algebra, locally free sheaves

    Hartshorne Exercise II.5.8. Again let X be a noetherian scheme, and $\mathcal{F}$ a coherent sheaf on X. We will consider the function, $$\varphi(x)=\op{dim}_{k(x)}\mathcal{F}_x\otimes_{\OO_x}k(x)$$, where $k(x)=\OO_x/\mathfrak{m}_x$ is the residue field at…

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  • Problem 3: Hartshorne II.5.7

    July 2, 2026
    coherent sheaves, locally free sheaves

    Hartshorne Problem II.5.7. Let X be a noetherian scheme, and let $\mathcal{F}$ be a coherent sheaf. (a) If the stalk $\mathcal{F}_x$ is a free $\OO_{X,x}$-module for some point $x\in X$,…

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  • Problem 2: Hartshorne Exercise IV.3.3 and some generalizations of Problem 1

    July 1, 2026
    blowup, curves, Fano varieties, surfaces

    We first make some interesting generalizations to the previous post, problem 1. Recall that we showed that the blowup of $\PP{k}{2}$ at $n$ different points remains a (rational) Fano surface…

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  • Problem 1: Show that the blowup of $\Bbb P_k^2$ at up to 8 points can be Fano.

    June 30, 2026
    blowup, Fano varieties, surfaces

    Define inductively a sequence of blowups $\varepsilon_n:S_n\ra S_{n-1}$, where $\varepsilon_n:S_n\ra S_{n-1}$ is the blowup of $S_{n-1}$ at a point $p_{n-1}$ and $S_0:=\Bbb P_k^2$. Let $E_n$ be the exceptional divisor of…

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  • Problem 0: Introduction

    June 30, 2026
    Introduction

    My plan is to post some daily AG problems from various sources, although they will mainly be from Hartshorne, Beauville’s Complex Algebraic Surfaces, Fulton’s Introduction to Toric Varieties, and Kollár’s…

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Zachary Maeder-Wolland

zmaederwolland@g.ucla.edu

(650)-219-8828

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