On the determination of the degree of an equation obtained by elimination (translation with commentary)

Abstract

In 1841, Ferdinand Minding published ``Ueber die Bestimmung des Grades einer durch Elimination hervorgehenden Gleichung'' in Crelle's Journal. His main theorem represents the first (implicit) appearance of the BKK bound (and even some of its extensions) in the mathematical literature. We present an English translation of this paper and a commentary which explains how Minding's formula relates to the mixed area of lattice polygons.