596
NOTES AND REFERENCES.
and assuming the correctness of Zenthen’s values it would seem to follow that the
four forms of surface have
12, 6, 12, 1
actual double planes respectively.
113. In the equation No. 36, il = AP + BQ + CR + .. = 0, it is implicitly assumed
that the number of terms P, Q, R,.. is finite, viz. the implied theorem is that any
given /¿-fold relation whatever (k of course a finite number) there is always a finite
number of functions P, Q, R,... such that every onefold relation included in the P-fold
relation is of the form in question il, = AP + BQ + CR +..., =0: this seems self-
evident enough, but I never succeeded in finding a proof: a proof of the theorem has
however been obtained by Hilbert, see his papers “ Zur Theorie der algebraischen
Gebilden (Erste Note),” Gott. Nachr. No. 16, (1888), pp. 450—457.
411, 415, 416. The first and second of these papers precede in date Zeuthen’s
Memoir of 1871 referred to in 416, but I ought in that paper to have referred also
to his later Memoir, “ Revision et extension des formules numériques de la théorie
des surfaces réciproques,” Math. Ann. t. x. (1876), pp. 446—546. I compare the
notations as follows, viz. for the unaccented letters we have
Cayley.
n, a, 8, k, p, a
h, q, k, t, 7
c, r, h, ß, 6, co
h X
C, B
f> i
23 letters in all.
Zeuthen.
n, a, 8, k, p, a
h, q, k, t, 7 ) s
c, r, h, ß ; m
h X
B, U,0
f, i d, g, e
27 letters in all.
Here for Zeuthen’s k, h, I have written k, h, viz. these numbers represent the
Pliickerian equivalents of the number of double points for the nodal and cuspidal curves
respectively. Zeuthen considers also the general node, say (£ (/¿, v, y + y, z + £ u, v),
see 416, this includes the cnicnode G and off-point <u, and accordingly he includes
under it and takes no special notice of these singularities, but it does not properly
include, and he takes special notice of, the binode B; it does not extend to the
case where the tangent cone breaks up into cones each or any of them more than
once repeated, and accordingly not to the case of a unode U where the tangent
cone is a pair of coincident planes. He introduces this singularity, and also the
singularity of the osculating point 0 which is understood rather more easily by means
of the reciprocal singularity of the osculating plane O', this is a tangent plane
meeting the surface in a curve having the point of contact for a triple point; and he
disregards my unexplained singularity 6. The letters s, m do not denote singularities;
s is the class of the envelope of the osculating planes of the nodal curve, m the