On the equations defining points (Q2497429)

Let \(A\) be a commutative noetherian ring of Krull dimension \(n\). Let \(I\subset A\) be a local complete intersection ideal of height \(n\). Then one has the class \([A/I]\in K_0(A)\), the Grothendieck group of finitely generated projective modules or equivalently finitely generated modules of finite projective dimension. If \(I\) is set-theoretically generated by \(n\) elements one says that \(I\) or \(A/I\) is a set-theoretic complete intersection. In this case, it is easy to see that \([A/I]\) in \(K_0(A)\) is torsion. The paper under review deals with the converse. The author proves that the converse is indeed true in the following cases: 1) \(n=2\); 2) \(n\) is odd; 3) \(n\geq 4\) even and \(A\) contains the field of rational numbers.