ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Zariski ring

Imagine you have a big toy box full of different colored balls. The balls represent mathematical objects called polynomials, which are like equations with numbers and variables that you can use to solve problems or describe shapes.

Now, let's say you want to organize your toy box. You could group all the same colored balls together or sort them by size. Similarly, in math, you can group polynomials together based on certain properties, such as the solutions or roots they have.

One way to do this is by creating a "ring," which is really just a set of polynomials that you can add, subtract, and multiply like you would numbers. The Zariski ring, named after mathematician Oscar Zariski, is a special kind of ring that focuses on polynomial equations that have solutions on a certain geometric shape called an affine variety.

To understand what that means, imagine drawing a circle on a piece of paper. Any point that falls on the circle satisfies a certain equation, such as (x-2)^2 + (y-3)^2 = 4. If you plot all the points that satisfy this equation, you get the circle.

Now imagine you have a bunch of polynomial equations like this that define different shapes in space. The Zariski ring is the set of all polynomials that have solutions on these shapes, and it allows you to perform operations and manipulate these equations in a way that preserves the solutions and properties of the shapes they represent. This helps mathematicians study the properties and behavior of these shapes in a more systematic and organized way.

So, in essence, the Zariski ring is just a way of organizing and manipulating polynomial equations that describe geometric shapes with certain properties. It's like sorting your toy box by color or size, but for mathematical equations that help us understand the world around us.