>

restart;

 

>	with( plots ):

 

>	with( plottools ):

 

Warning, the name changecoords has been redefined 

Warning, the assigned name arrow now has a global binding 

>

 

Shrinking Circle Problem 

Solution to the Original Shrinking Circle Problem 

Douglas B. Meade 

9 February 2007 

>

 

>	C  :=      (x-1)^2+y^2=1^2;  # fixed circle

 

>	Cr := r -> x^2+y^2=r^2;      # shrinking circle

 

>	P  := r -> [ 0, r ];         # top of shrinking circle

 

>

 

>	plotP  := r -> plot( [P(r)], x=-1..1, style=point, symbol=circle, symbolsize=10, thickness=3, color=blue ):

 

>	plotC  :=      implicitplot( C, x= 0..2, y=-1..1, color=pink ):

 

>	plotCr := r -> implicitplot( Cr(r), x=-r..r, y=-r..r, color=cyan ):

 

>	P1     := r -> display( [plotP(r),plotC,plotCr(r)], view=[-r..max(r,2),DEFAULT], scaling=constrained,                        axes=normal, labels=["x","y"] ):

 

>

P1(1,2);

 

>

 

These circles intersect in two points. 

>	Intersection := [allvalues( solve( {C,Cr(r)}, {x,y} ) )] ;

 

Of the two points, we want the one in the first quadrant 

>	X,Y := eval( [x,y], select( p->evalb( eval( y, eval(p,[r=1.]) )>0 ), Intersection )[] )[]: x=X; y=Y;

 

>

 

This is the formula for the point Q.  .  

>

 

To construct the projection from the top of the shrinking circle through Q onto the y=0 plane, 

>	Q := unapply( [ X, Y ], [r,a] ):

 

>

 

>	plotQ := (r) -> plot( [Q(r)], color=gold, style=point, thickness=2 ):

 

>	P2 := (r) -> display( [plotP(r),plotC,plotCr(r),plotQ(r)],                         axes=normal, labels=["x","y"], scaling=constrained ):

 

>

P2(1,2);

 

>

 

For each angle theta, the lines passing through P and the point Q(theta) can be parameterized in terms of the (scaled) distance measured along this line. 

>	LinePQ  := unapply( expand( (1-alpha)*P(r) + alpha*Q(r) ), [alpha,r] );

 

>

 

The value of the parameter alpha when these lines hit the z=0 plane are given by 

>	alpha0   := unapply( [simplify( solve( LinePQ(alpha,r)[2]=0, alpha ) ) assuming r>0][],                     [r] );

 

>

 

Thus, the parametric representation of of the projected point, R, in the y=0 plane is 

>	R := unapply( [simplify( LinePQ(alpha0(r),r) ) assuming r>0][], [r] );

 

>

 

This completes the constructions needed to put all of this together in one animation. 

>	plotR := (r) -> plot( [P(r),R(r)], color=red, thickness=1 ):

 

>	P3    := (r,a) -> display( [P2(r),plotR(r)] ):

 

>

 

These plots already illustrate the rapid convergence of every point on the curves R - except the one on the x-axis - to the origin (as r->0). Let's look at the parametric form of R. The three components are: 

>	X,Y := R(r)[]: x=X; y=Y;

 

>

 

Maple does recognize the indeterminate form, and reports: 

>	limit( X, r=0, right );

 

We close with a different animation that shows this convergence. 

>	plotR0 := plot( [[4,0]], x=0..4, color=green, style=point, thickness=2 ):

 

>	animR  := animate( P3, [2-r], r=0..2, frames=30, numpoints=401, paraminfo=false, background=plotR0, view=[-2..max(2,4),DEFAULT] ):

 

>

animR;

 

>