Aimed primarily at graduate students and beginning researchers, this book provides an introduction to algebraic geometry that is particularly suitable for those with no previous contact with the subject and assumes only the standard background of undergraduate algebra. It is developed from a masters course given at the Universit?? Paris-Sud, Orsay, and focusses on projective algebraic geometry over an algebraically closed base field. The book starts with easily-formulated problems with non-trivial solutions ??? for example, B??zout??'s theorem and the problem of rational curves ??? and uses these problems to introduce the fundamental tools of modern algebraic geometry: dimension; singularities; sheaves; varieties; and cohomology. The treatment uses as little commutative algebra as possible by quoting without proof (or proving only in special cases) theorems whose proof is not necessary in practice, the priority being to develop an understanding of the phenomena rather than a mastery of the technique. A range of exercises is provided for each topic discussed, and a selection of problems and exam papers are collected in an appendix to provide material for further study.

Daniel Perrin is a professor at the IUFM of Versailles and the Universite de Paris-Sud.