Tohoku Mathematical Journal
2008
June
SECOND SERIES VOL. 60, NO. 2

Tohoku Math. J.
60 (2008), 149-181

Title INFLECTION POINTS AND DOUBLE TANGENTS ON ANTI-CONVEX CURVES IN THE REAL PROJECTIVE PLANE

Author Gudlugur Thorbergsson and Masaaki Umehara

(Received July 5, 2006, revised August 3, 2007)
Abstract. A simple closed curve in the real projective plane is called anti-convex if for each point on the curve, there exists a line which is transversal to the curve and meets the curve only at that given point. Our main purpose is to prove an identity for anti-convex curves that relates the number of independent (true) inflection points and the number of independent double tangents on the curve. This formula is a refinement of the classical Möbius theorem. We also show that there are three inflection points on a given anti-convex curve such that the tangent lines at these three inflection points cross the curve only once. Our approach is axiomatic and can be applied in other situations. For example, we prove similar results for curves of constant width as a corollary.

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 53A20; Secondary 53C75.

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