| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name
 | Date | Lines | 
|---|
| 829.1 | Maybe working on the wrong problem? | AKQJ10::YARBROUGH | Why is computing so labor intensive? | Tue Feb 23 1988 12:24 | 14 | 
|  | According to Bronshtein and Semendyayev's *Handbook of Mathematics*,
the Folium of Descartes has the equation
    
    		x^3 + y^3 = 3axy,
    
is asymptotic to a line through (-a,0) and (0,-a) and has a loop which
passes through (0, 0).
It may be easier to compute the area from the parametric form of the 
equation,
	x = 3at   /(1+t**3),
	y = 3at**2/(1+t**3)
	for -inf<t<-1 and -1<t<inf. The loop corresponds to 0<t<inf.
 | 
| 829.2 |  | CLT::GILBERT | Builder | Tue Feb 23 1988 13:31 | 30 | 
|  | >It may be easier to compute the area from the parametric form of the 
>equation,
>	x = 3at   /(1+t**3),
>	y = 3at**2/(1+t**3)
>	for -inf<t<-1 and -1<t<inf. The loop corresponds to 0<t<inf.
Sure.  Note that 0<t<1 and the line x=y bound half the loop.  Thus the
area of the loop is:
	            1
	Area = 2 Integral (x-y) dx
	           t=0
Now,	dx/dt = 3a (1 - 2t^3) / (1+t^3)^2
and	y - x = 3at(1-t)/(1+t^3)
So,
			 1
	Area = 18 a^2 Integral t(1-t)(1 - 2t^3) / (1+t^3)^3 dt
			t=0
And that integral equals:
	- 4 t^3 + 3 t^2 - 1
	-------------------
	    6 (1+t^3)^2
So the area is:
	Area = 18 a^2 ( -2/24 - -1/6 ) = 3 a^2 / 2
 | 
| 829.3 | Thanks, correct solution | COMICS::DEMORGAN | Richard De Morgan, UK CSC/CS | Wed Feb 24 1988 03:46 | 3 | 
|  |     Thanks .1, .2. I had mis-remembered the formula. The anser in .2
    is correct, but I have seen a 4 line proof which I can't remember
    - I think it either used polar or (s, phi) coordinates.
 | 
| 829.4 |  | PSW::WINALSKI | Paul S. Winalski | Mon Mar 07 1988 22:55 | 4 | 
|  | Stan the TECO macro Rabinowitz tells me that the area between the folium
and the asymptote is also 3a**2/2.
--PSW
 |