Four-vertex Theorem
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 picture info Four-vertex Theorem The four-vertex theorem of geometry states that the curvature function of a simple, closed, smooth plane curve has at least four local maxima and minima, extrema (specifically, at least two local maxima and at least two local minima). The name of the theorem derives from the convention of calling an extreme point of the curvature function a Vertex (curve), vertex. This theorem has many generalizations, including a version for space curves where a vertex is defined as a point of vanishing Torsion of a curve, torsion. Examples An ellipse has exactly four vertices: two local maxima of curvature where it is crossed by the major axis of the ellipse, and two local minima of curvature where it is crossed by the minor axis. In a circle, every point is both a local maximum and a local minimum of curvature, so there are infinitely many vertices. Every curve of constant width has at least six vertices. History The four-vertex theorem was first proved for convex curves (i.e. curves with s ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...] picture info Ellipse Evolute In mathematics, an ellipse is a plane curve surrounding two focus (geometry), focal points, such that for all points on the curve, the sum of the two distances to the focal points is a constant. As such, it generalizes a circle, which is the special type of ellipse in which the two focal points are the same. The elongation of an ellipse is measured by its eccentricity (mathematics), eccentricity e, a number ranging from e = 0 (the Limiting case (mathematics), limiting case of a circle) to e = 1 (the limiting case of infinite elongation, no longer an ellipse but a parabola). An ellipse has a simple algebraic solution for its area, but only approximations for its perimeter (also known as circumference), for which integration is required to obtain an exact solution. Analytic geometry, Analytically, the equation of a standard ellipse centered at the origin with width 2a and height 2b is: : \frac+\frac = 1 . Assuming a \ge b, the foci are (\pm c, 0) for c = \sqrt. The standard para ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]

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