This classic work, now available in paperback, outlines the geometric aspects of algebraic equations, one of the oldest and most central subjects in mathematics. Recent decades have seen explosive growth in the more abstract side of algeraic geometry, with great emphasis on new basic techniques. This timely reissue complements these recent innovations, providing a much-needed background in such areas as plane curves, quadratic transformations, the geometry of line systems, and the projective characters of curves and surfaces. Providing a wealth of definitive material, this work will appeal to those interested in algebraic geometry and in more modern abstract studies.