On a simple model of \(X_0(N)\) (Q1662404)

Let \(X_0(N)\) be the modular curve associated with the modular group \(\Gamma_0(N)\). It is an important problem, especially in elliptic curve cryptography, to find a ``good'' defining equation of \(X_0(N)\) such that its computation can be implemented effectively. To obtain ``good'' equations, various generators of the function field of \(X_0(N)\) are constructed by using the modular invariant function \(j(z)\), eta-quotients, Klein forms and Weierstrass \(\mathfrak P\)- functions. The equation given by \(j(z)\) and \(j(Nz)\) is well known as the modular equation. This equation is not ``good'' in the above sense. V. Müller gives a ``good'' equation over finite fields by using \(j(z)\) and an eta-quotient in the case where \(N\) is prime. In this article, the author shows that \(j(z)\) and an eta quotient \(\Delta(Nz)/\Delta(z)=(\eta(Nz)/\eta(z))^{24}\) generate the function field of \(X_0(N)\) for any \(N\ge 2\) by proving that the total degree of poles on \(X_0(N)\) of two functions \(j(z)\) and \(j(z)^{N-2}+(\Delta(Nz)/\Delta(z))^{N-1}\) are relatively prime. Further, he computes the defining equations given by \(j(z)\) and \(\Delta(Nz)/\Delta(z)\) for \(N\le 5\).