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For any affine-variety code we show how to construct an ideal whose solutions correspond to codewords with any assigned weight. We are able to obtain geometric characterizations for small-weight codewords for some families of Hermitian codes over any F q 2 . From these geometric characterizations, we obtain explicit formulas. In particular, we determine the number of minimum-weight codewords for all Hermitian codes with d ≤ q and all second-weight codewords for distance- 3 , 4 codes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We classify completely the intersections of the Hermitian curve with parabolas in the affine plane. To obtain our results we employ well-known algebraic methods for finite fields and geometric properties of the curve automorphisms. In particular, we provide explicit counting formulas that have also applications to some Hermitian codes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]