Chennai Mathematical Institute

Seminars




2.00 p.m.
Elementary talk: Complex background of real geometry

Prof. Simon Gindikin
Rutgers University, U.S.A.
22-01-09


Abstract

One of crucial moments of great geometry of XIX century was the question of Poncelet, why ellipses can intersect at four points but circles - their special cases- not more than at two. The answer is that there are 2 universal intersection points for all circles which are complex. I will discuss several examples (including some modern ones) when real geometry is defined by complex objects.