Neliokäyriä

Neliokäyriä, which translates to "square curves" or "quartic curves" in English, refers to algebraic curves defined by a polynomial equation of degree four. The general form of a quartic equation in two variables x and y is Ax^4 + Bx^3y + Cx^2y^2 + Dxy^3 + Ey^4 + Fx^3 + Gx^2y + Hxy^2 + Iy^3 + Jx^2 + Kxy + Ly^2 + Mx + Ny + P = 0, where at least one of the coefficients A, B, C, D, or E is non-zero.

Quartic curves exhibit a wide variety of shapes and complexities. They can be simple, such as a pair of parallel lines or a circle, or extremely intricate with multiple loops, branches, and points of self-intersection. The number of connected components of a real quartic curve can range from one to four.

Some well-known examples of quartic curves include the lemniscate of Bernoulli, the hippopede, and the Cassini ovals. These curves arise in various fields, including geometry, physics, and engineering, where they can model phenomena like orbits, trajectories, or the shape of certain objects. Studying quartic curves involves analyzing their algebraic properties, such as their degree, singularities, and genus, as well as their geometric characteristics, like tangency, asymptotes, and the number and nature of their intersection points with other curves. The classification and understanding of these curves form a significant area within algebraic geometry.