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Curves in Engineering and Architecture: Module 1

The document discusses different ways to parametrize curves in engineering and architecture. It provides examples of parametrizing lines, circles, helices, and other curves. Key points: 1) A curve can be parametrized as a relation between parameter values (usually time t) and points in a plane or space, expressed as coordinate functions. 2) Common parametrizations use polynomials, trigonometric functions, or combinations thereof. 3) The same curve can have different parametrizations, such as parametrizing a circle using angle t or double the angle 2t.

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Jesus Sanchez
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43 views5 pages

Curves in Engineering and Architecture: Module 1

The document discusses different ways to parametrize curves in engineering and architecture. It provides examples of parametrizing lines, circles, helices, and other curves. Key points: 1) A curve can be parametrized as a relation between parameter values (usually time t) and points in a plane or space, expressed as coordinate functions. 2) Common parametrizations use polynomials, trigonometric functions, or combinations thereof. 3) The same curve can have different parametrizations, such as parametrizing a circle using angle t or double the angle 2t.

Uploaded by

Jesus Sanchez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
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Curves in Engineering and

Architecture: Module 1

Contents
1 Curves: First examples 2

2 Parametrization of curves I 3

3 Parametrization of curves II 4

1
1 Curves: First examples
Denition. A curve is the locus of the successive positions of a point with
a degree of freedom. Or equivalently, the set of points whose coordinates, in
a given reference system, are continuous functions of a parameter.
If we can solve the implicit equation F (x; y) = C of a curve for the variable x,
we obtain: y = f (x) and the curve can be seen as the graph of the function
y = f (x). The points of the curve are described as (x; f (x)). Similarly,
solving F (x; y) = C for the variable y, we obtain: x = g(y) and the curve
can be seen as the graph of the function x = g(y). The points of the curve
are described as (g(y); y).
Examples.
1. Line. For example, the line y = 3x + 2; that is, the points in the
plane with cartesian coordinates (x; y) satisfying the linear equation
y = 3x + 2. The points of the line can be described as (x; 3x + 2).
In this way we are considering the curve as the graph of the function
f (x) = 3x+2. The points of the curve can also be described as ( y 3 2 ; y).
2. Parabola. The parabola y = a(x p)2 + k can also be seen as the graph
of the function f (x) = a(x p)2 + k, where (p; k) are the coordinates of
the vertex of the parabola and the sign of the parameter a determines
the direction on which the parabola opens.
3. Circle. The circle of radius r and center C, is dened as the set of
points of the plane at distance r from C. The cartesian coordinates of
the circle satisfy the following implicit equation:
(x x0 )2 + (y y0 )2 = r2
where (x0 ; y0 ) are the cartesian coordinates of C.
2 2 2
For (xp
0 ; y0 ) = (0; 0) we have: x + y = r . Solving it for x, we
p obtain
2 2
x . Notice that as we have two possible values r 2 x2
y = pr p (
and + r 2 2
x ) for each value of x, the expression r 2 2
x is not a
function. We can not see the circle as the graph of a function y = f (x).
2 2 2
4. Semi-circle. The semi-circle x
p + y = r with y 0 can be seen as the
graph of the function y = + r 2 2
x , for xp2 [ r; r]. And the points
of the semi-circle can be described as (x; + r2 x2 ).

2
2 Parametrization of curves I
We understand as plane parametrized curve as a relation between the val-
ues of the variable t 2 I, where I is an interval in the real line I = [a; b]
(eventually I = R) and the points of the plane R2 ; that is,
:I ! R2 ;
t 7 ! (t):
Taking into account the two coordinates of the points we have:
t7 !( 1 (t); 2 (t)) :

We call (a) the starting point, (b) the nal point and (I) the trace of the
curve.
A parametrized curve in R3 is given as a map
:I ! R3 ;
t 7 ! (t) = ( 1 (t); 2 (t); 3 (t)) :

Examples
1. Straight line. A straight line containing a point of coordinates (a1 ; a2 ; a3 )
and with direction vector (v1 ; v2 ; v3 ) is given by the following paramet-
ric representation:
(t) = (a1 + tv1 ; a2 + tv2 ; a3 + tv3 ) ,
where ai , vi are constants and at least one vi 6= 0.
2. Circular helix.

: R ! R3 ;
t 7 ! (t) = ( 1 (t); 2 (t); 3 (t))

where t 7 ! ( 1 (t); 2 (t)), is a parametrized circle in the plane z = 0


and t 7 ! 3 (t) is the height.

3
3 Parametrization of curves II
The parametrization
:I ! R3 ;
t 7 ! (t) = ( 1 (t); 2 (t); 3 (t)) ;

is a map that is usually expressed as a combination of elementary functions:


Polynomials
square roots
trigonometric functions
trigonometric inverses
exponentials
logarithms
In fact, the same trace can be given by dierent parametrized curves.
In the following examples we see how a curve can be given by dierent
parametric representations.
Examples
1. Circle. The circle is the set of all points in a plane that are at a given
distance from a given point, the centre.
Let consider the circle C with radius R, center at the point of the
coordinates (a1 ; a2 ). Then
(t) = (a1 + R cos t; a2 + R sin t) , t 2 [0; 2 ),
where t is the angle formed by the point P = (0), the center of the
cricle and the generic point X = (t) of the circle.
If we consider the parametrized circle:
(t) = (a1 + R cos(2t); a2 + R sin(2t); 0) , t 2 [0; ),
the trace is the same but we go over the circle at double speed.
Remark. The previous parametrizations of the circle are said to be
trigonometric parametrizations as they depend on trigonometric func-
tions.

4
2. Graph of a function. Graph of functions can be seen as the trace of
curves:
:I ! R2 ;
t 7 ! (t) = (t; f (t)) :

(a) The curve y = sin x is the parametrized curve: (t) = (t; sin(t)) :
(b) As the circle C of center (0; 0) and radius R satises the equation
x(t)2 + y(t)2 = R2 , we can consider x as a parameter and y(x) =
p
R2 x2 . Hence,
p
(x) = x; R2 x2 , x 2 [ r; +r]:

Notice that
pin this case we only have the parametrized half-circle
as y(x) = R2 x2 0.
(c) Hyperbola. The hyperbola yx = 1 can be parametrized as the
graph of the function f (x) = x1 . That is,
1
(x) = x; , x 2 ( 1; 0) [ (0; 1):
x
3. Circular helix.

: R ! R3 ;
t 7 ! (t) = (cos t; sin t; bt)

where
b
is the lead or pitch per twist.
2
Or with center (p1 ; p2 ) and radius R:
:R ! R3 ;
(t) = (p1 + R cos t; p2 + R sin t; bt) :

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