cycloid
/ˈsʌɪklɔɪd
/noun Mathematics
A curve (resembling a series of arches) traced by a point on a circle being rolled along a straight line.Neile's parabola was the first algebraic curve to have its arc length calculated; only the arc lengths of transcendental curves such as the cycloid and the logarithmic spiral had been calculated before this....
- Many famous mathematicians, including Descartes, have worked on a class of curves called cycloids.
- He defines evolutes and involutes of curves and, after giving some elementary properties, finds the evolutes of the cycloid and of the parabola.
Derivatives
cycloidal
/ adjective ...- Desargues proposed cycloidal teeth for gear wheels in the 1630's.
- Huygens believed that a pendulum swinging in a large are would be more useful at sea and he invented the cycloidal pendulum with this in mind.
- He also worked on cycloidal pendulums, the laws of resistance in a fluid and differential geometry.
Origin
Mid 17th century: from Greek kukloeidēs 'circular', from kuklos 'circle'.
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