On the number of equations defining affine varieties with isolated singularities (Q1894906)

Forster's conjecture: ``The ideal \(I \subset k [X_1, \dots, X_n]\) defining an irreducible nonsingular affine variety \(V = V(I) \subset k^n\) can be generated by \(n\) elements'', was proven in the affirmative by \textit{A. Sataye} [Invent. Math. 46, 211-224 (1978; Zbl 0382.13004) and separately by \textit{N. Mohan Kumar} [cf. J. Indian Math. Soc., New Ser. 45 (1984), 163-165 (1981; Zbl 0658.13011)]. In Nagoya Math. J. 123, 39-76 (1991; Zbl 0714.13016), \textit{J. Elias}, \textit{L. Robbiano} and \textit{G. Valla} gave a sharp upper bound for the number of generators of perfect ideals. As a consequence of the main result of the above paper, the authors give, in the paper under review, a sharp upper bound for the number of generators of locally Cohen-Macaulay affine varieties with isolated multiplicities in terms of the multiplicity of their singular points. -- As a corollary, the authors prove a generalized Forster conjecture for locally Cohen-Macaulay affine varieties with isolated singularities having small enough multiplicity. Reviewer's remark. The authors write twice: ... generalize(s) Forster's conjecture ...'' instead of ``... prove(s) a generalized Forster's conjecture ...''. Furthermore in the remark p. 95, the reviewer does not understand what the authors say about Macaulay's examples.