Suppose that X is a varity over an algebraically close field K. If I am not mistaken, a rational fun

Adrienne Rowe

Adrienne Rowe

Answered question

2022-02-15

Suppose that X is a varity over an algebraically close field K. If I am not mistaken, a rational function over X is a function in K(X). And a function on X is regular at a point xX if there exists g,hK[X], and an open subset VX containing x, such that for all yV,h(y)0 and f(y)=g(y)h(y). And f(x) is a regular function if it is regular at every point in X.
I not understand why rational functions need not be regular, and I am wondering if there is any example of rational function being not regular.

Answer & Explanation

Kathleen Mcpherson

Kathleen Mcpherson

Beginner2022-02-16Added 9 answers

Here is an example: let X=K1, and let f(y)=1y. This is a rational function f:XK that is regular at all yX,y0, but which is not defined at y=0. It cannot be extended to a regular function at y=0, for suppose
fg=1y
in some open neighborhood of y=0; this open neighborhood is in particular infinite, because the topology on K1 is the cofinite topology and K (being algebraically closed) is infinite. Then f(y)y-g(y)=0 for infinitely many yK, but because fy-g can only have finitely many roots, we must actually have fy=g, hence fg=1y everywhere, and therefore it cannot be defined at y=0.
One of the things that I found a little counterintuitive about rational functions at first is that they are not functions, per se, because they might only be defined on an open subset of the variety in question.

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