Search Results for “catenary”
Parabola and catenary
There isn't much difference between a catenary and its approximate parabola. The catenary is the correct model of an ideal chain. But the parabola fits fairly well too.
Square wheeled bicycle
A square wheeled bicycle can roll smoothly along a track with bumps which are inverted hyperbolic cosines. In this model we have the curve y=-cosh(x). The square's side length can be set, and so can the initial point of contact with the curve. Can you arrange things so that the center of the square follows a straight line?
