Abstract
THIS is a very full book on the curves enumerated; marked by much elegance in the geometrical portion of the work. It is by far the completest treatise we know, and is likely to take its place as a standard work on the subject. It is marvellous how much can be said about these curves, and one is ready to indorse Chasles' opinion—referring to the cycloid—“ Cette courbe merveilleuse.” Mr. Proctor only slightly glances at the historical side, and merely refers to Pascal's famous questions, a proof of which, we believe, could hardly, if at all, be effected by purely geometrical methods. Use has been made of De Morgan's article on trochoidal curves, the fullest previous exposition of the properties of these curves in relation to epicyclics, and the work, which is admirably printed, has had the advantage of being embellished with drawings from Mr. Perigal's well-known mechanically-traced curves (bicircloids). One section is devoted to the analytical equations to the curves, and the last section is a reprint of two papers which have already appeared in the Monthly Notices of the Astronomical Society, entitled “The Graphical Use of Cycloidal Curves to determine (1) the Motion of Planets and Comets, (2) the Motion of Matter projected from the Sun.”
A Treatise on the Cycloid and all Forms of Cycloidal Curves, and on the Use of such Curves in dealing with the Motions of Planets, Comets, &c., and of Matter projected from the Sun.
By Richard A. Proctor. With 161 Illustrations and many Examples. (London: Longmans, 1878.)
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A Treatise on the Cycloid and all Forms of Cycloidal Curves, and on the Use of such Curves in dealing with the Motions of Planets, Comets, &c., and of Matter projected from the Sun . Nature 18, 355 (1878). https://doi.org/10.1038/018355a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/018355a0