The gonality of singular plane curves (Q1890465)

Let \(C \subset \mathbb P^2\) an integral degree \(d\) plane curve and \(X\) its normalization. Set \(\delta := (d-1)(d-2)/2 -p_a(X)\) and \(x\) the maximal multiplicity of a point of \(C\). Set \(i \equiv d \pmod{x}\) with \(0 \leq i <x\) and \(R(x,\delta ,i):= (x^2+(x-2)i)/(2x(x-1)) +\sqrt{(\delta - x)/x-1) + ((x-2+i)/(2x-2))^2}\). Assume \(\delta \geq x\) and \(\delta /x > R(x,\delta ,i)\). Then the author proves that \(X\) has gonality \(d-x\), generalizing Theorem 3.1 of \textit{M. Coppens} and \textit{T. Kato} [Manuscr. Math. 70, 5--25 (1990; Zbl 0725.14005)], which solves the case in which \(C\) has only ordinary nodes and ordinary cusps as singularities.