Projective Geometry – Understanding vertical lines in the projective plane $P^2$.

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How do you get that two vertical lines in $P^2$ intersect at $(0 : 1 : 0)$ or how do you calculate it?

If we look at two parallel lines, their point of intersection is at $(1 : s : 0)$ with s as the slope of the two parallel lines. As s approaches infinity with vertical lines, why is there a shift from $1$ to $0$ in the x-coordinate as one might have guessed $(1 : \infty : 0)$ as the result instead?

Also: is there any way to visualize this?

(I am especially interested because of Elliptic Curves)

Best Answer

In standard coordinate geometry, a "vertical" line has equation of the form $x=a$. The homogeneous form of this is $X=aZ$. This line contains the point $(X:Y:Z)=(0:1:0)$ in the projective plane, no matter what $a$ is. So all "vertical" lines meet at $(0:1:0)$.

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