Another early problem was determining the arc length of an arch of the cycloid. This was
solved in 1658 by the famous British architect and mathematician, Sir Christopher Wren.
He showed that the arc length of one arch of the cycloid is exactly eight times the radius of
the generating circle. [For a solution to this problem using Formula (9), see Exercise 71.]
The cycloid is also important historically because it provides the solution to two famous
mathematical problems—the brachistochrone problem (from Greek words meaning
“shortest time”) and the tautochrone problem (from Greek words meaning “equal time”).
The brachistochrone problem is to determine the shape of a wire along which a bead might
P slide from a point P to another point Q, not directly below, in the shortest time. The tau-
Q
Figure 10.1.16
tochrone problem is to find the shape of a wire from P to Q such that two beads started at
any points on the wire between P and Q reach Q in the same amount of time. The solution
to both problems turns out to be an inverted cycloid (Figure 10.1.16).
In June of 1696, Johann Bernoulli posed the brachistochrone problem in the form of a
challenge to other mathematicians. At first, one might conjecture that the wire should form
a straight line, since that shape results in the shortest distance from P to Q. However, the
inverted cycloid allows the bead to fall more rapidly at first, building up sufficient speed
to reach Q in the shortest time, even though it travels a longer distance. The problem
was solved by Newton, Leibniz, and L’Hôpital, as well as by Johann Bernoulli and his
older brother Jakob; it was formulated and solved incorrectly years earlier by Galileo, who
thought the answer was a circular arc. In fact, Johann was so impressed with his brother
Jakob’s solution that he claimed it to be his own. (This was just one of many disputes about
the cycloid that eventually led to the curve being known as the “apple of discord.”) One
solution of the brachistochrone problem leads to the differential equation
Another early problem was determining the arc length of an arch of the cycloid. This wassolved in 1658 by the famous British architect and mathematician, Sir Christopher Wren.He showed that the arc length of one arch of the cycloid is exactly eight times the radius ofthe generating circle. [For a solution to this problem using Formula (9), see Exercise 71.]The cycloid is also important historically because it provides the solution to two famousmathematical problems—the brachistochrone problem (from Greek words meaning“shortest time”) and the tautochrone problem (from Greek words meaning “equal time”).The brachistochrone problem is to determine the shape of a wire along which a bead mightP slide from a point P to another point Q, not directly below, in the shortest time. The tau-QFigure 10.1.16tochrone problem is to find the shape of a wire from P to Q such that two beads started atany points on the wire between P and Q reach Q in the same amount of time. The solutionto both problems turns out to be an inverted cycloid (Figure 10.1.16).In June of 1696, Johann Bernoulli posed the brachistochrone problem in the form of achallenge to other mathematicians. At first, one might conjecture that the wire should forma straight line, since that shape results in the shortest distance from P to Q. However, theinverted cycloid allows the bead to fall more rapidly at first, building up sufficient speedto reach Q in the shortest time, even though it travels a longer distance. The problemwas solved by Newton, Leibniz, and L’Hôpital, as well as by Johann Bernoulli and hisolder brother Jakob; it was formulated and solved incorrectly years earlier by Galileo, whothought the answer was a circular arc. In fact, Johann was so impressed with his brotherJakob’s solution that he claimed it to be his own. (This was just one of many disputes aboutthe cycloid that eventually led to the curve being known as the “apple of discord.”) Onesolution of the brachistochrone problem leads to the differential equation
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