323
349] ON A CASE OF THE INVOLUTION OF CUBIC CURVES.
and consequently
that is
X + y + Z = /3y {/3 - 7),
x : y : z : — x + y + z : x — y+z:x+y— z
= “ 2 (£ ~ 7) : /3 2 (7 ~ a ) : 7 2 (« ~ 0) ■ fiy (@- 7) : 7« (7 ~ a ) : «/3 (a - /3),
and these give
{— x + y + z) {x —y + z) {x + y - z) + xyz = 0,
or, what is the same thing,
x 3 + y 3 + z 3 — {yz 2 + ?/ 2 ^ + .sa? 8 + z l x + xy- + x-y) + = 0,
as the equation of the locus of the one-with-twofold centre, which locus is thus a cubic
curve.
29. The equation
x? + y s + z 3 — (yz 2 + y‘Z -1- zx} + z 2 x + xy- + x-y) + 3xyz = 0,
of the one-with-twofold centre locus may be transformed as follows, viz. writing for a
moment x + y + z= — w, we have
(9x + 4w) (9y + 4w) (9z + 4w) — w 3
= 729 xyz + 324 w {yz + zx + xy) — 144 w 3 + 64w 3 — w 3 ,
= 81 {9xyz + 4w {yz + zx + xy) — w 3 ),
= 81 {9xyz — 12xyz — 4 {yz- + &c.) + {x :i + y 3 + z 3 ) +• (3yz 2 4- «See.) + 6xyz],
= 81 [a? + y 3 + z 3 — {yz 2 + &c.) + Sxyz],
so that the equation may be written
(9# + 4w) (9y + 4w) (9z + 4iu) — w 3 — 0,
or, what is the same thing,
{5x — 4y — 4z) (— 4x + by — 4z) {— 4# — 4y + 5z) + {x + y + z) 3 = 0,
which shows that the intersections of the line x + y + z — 0, with the sides x = 0, y = 0, z = 0
of the triangle are inflexions on the curve; and that the tangents at these points are
respectively
5x — 4y — 4<z = 0, — 4« + 5y — 4<z = 0, — 4« — 4y + oz = 0.
30. The curve passes through the point (1, 1, 1), which is the harmonic of x + y + z = 0
in regard to the triangle; and this point is moreover a node on the curve; in fact
if the equation be represented by W = 0, then we have
d x W = Sx- — 2x {y + z) — y- + Syz — z-,
= 0 for the point in question; and similarly d y W and c4TF=0.
41—2