Abstract:
Tropical geometry is a combinatorial shadow of algebraic geometry, in which algebraic varieties are replaced by piecewise linear objects that retain core information about the original varieties. This allows techniques from combinatorics, including polyhedral geometry, to be brought to bear on problems from algebraic geometry, and has also allowed new applications of these techniques outside algebraic geometry, and also outside mathematics. This minicourse will give a basic introduction, with minimal prerequisites, to this exciting area.