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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 5 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 #40270 - 09/28/01 09:07 PM Re: superellipse   Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,605 Keiva Carpal Tunnel Keiva   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,605 Bear with me on this, it does come back to words. The mathematical equation whose graph is an ellipse is: a * (x to the 2nd power) + b * (y to the 2nd power) = 1, where a and b are any constants. a and be determine the size of the ellipse and how elongated it is. If a=b the result is a circle; thus a circle is a particular kind of an ellipse. About 20 years ago a Dane, Piet Hein, experimented to see what kind of shape you'd get if you graphed a similar equation but change the 2's above. He found that if you change that number to about one-and-a-half, you get an esthetically pleasing shape, a compromise between an oval and a rectangle: one would roughly describe it as a rectangle with the corners cut off. The term for that shape is "superellipse" Furniture in the Danish Modern style furniture often uses superellipses as, for example, the share of a tabletops. Danish traffic engineers design traffic ellipses in that shape, to minimize the sharp curves at the ends of the ellipse. Hein has also authored numbers pithy poems, called "grooks". #40271 - 09/28/01 09:07 PM Re: superellipse   Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,605 Keiva Carpal Tunnel Keiva   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,605 Bear with me on this, it does come back to words. The mathematical equation whose graph is an ellipse is: a * (x to the 2nd power) + b * (y to the 2nd power) = 1, where a and b are any constants. a and be determine the size of the ellipse and how elongated it is. If a=b the result is a circle; thus a circle is a particular kind of an ellipse. About 20 years ago a Dane, Piet Hein, experimented to see what kind of shape you'd get if you graphed a similar equation but change the 2's above. He found that if you change that number to about one-and-a-half, you get an esthetically pleasing shape, a compromise between an oval and a rectangle: one would roughly describe it as a rectangle with the corners cut off. The term for that shape is "superellipse" Furniture in the Danish Modern style furniture often uses superellipses as, for example, the share of a tabletops. Danish traffic engineers design traffic ellipses in that shape, to minimize the sharp curves at the ends of the ellipse. Hein has also authored numberous pithy poems, called "grooks". #40272 - 09/30/01 11:38 AM Re: Caxis   Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,605 Keiva Carpal Tunnel Keiva   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,605 The response to "Caxi's" leaves me empathic with Dr. Bill's plaintive plaint, "Suppose they gave a word-post and nobody came?" I am underwhelmed. Last hint, combining two hints above: one need merely google Gilbert & Sullivan to find out what Major General Stanley knows about frogs, and then, googling further, check the reference cited by that illustrious Major General. #40273 - 09/30/01 11:45 AM Re: Spartans   Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,605 Keiva Carpal Tunnel Keiva   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,605 Public message to Sparteye: Northwestern 27, Michigan State 26 I do not comment; I merely report. But to keep this word-related: this of course deals only with the "Spart" part of "Sparteye", and next weekend we are likely to suffer an-eye-for-an-eye from the buckeyes. #40274 - 09/30/01 02:47 PM Re: that other Michigan team   Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,636 consuelo Carpal Tunnel consuelo   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,636 Caribbean U of M 38 Illinois 13 I don't watch, I merely report. For Sparteye: Aenigma suggested Ubiquitous of Mabel for you-know-who and spasm for Sparteye! #40275 - 09/30/01 03:55 PM Re: Caxis   Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Jackie Jackie   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky "Suppose they gave a word-post and nobody came?" I am underwhelmed. Well, Dear, I did Google the things you suggested, but still no luck. I am completely unfamiliar with both of the things, and probably would have had to read at least the second one in more depth than I have the time for right now. Sorry. #40276 - 09/30/01 04:10 PM Re: Spartans   Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 1,094 Jazzoctopus old hand Jazzoctopus   old hand Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 1,094 Cincinnati & Loveland, Ohio, U... and next weekend we are likely to suffer an-eye-for-an-eye from the buckeyes. I'll be at the game, so I'll make sure to let you know. Though, I don't think OSU will be trying to get revenge for the Sparts. They're not exactly allies if you recall the '98 season. #40277 - 09/30/01 04:11 PM Re: Caxis   Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,379 inselpeter Pooh-Bah inselpeter   Pooh-Bah Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,379 New York City <<"Suppose they gave a word-post and nobody came?" I am underwhelmed." The second rule of writing: to know your audience. #40278 - 09/30/01 05:14 PM Audience   Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,636 consuelo Carpal Tunnel consuelo   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,636 Caribbean Audience? Geez, why didn't somebody tell me. I'm still in my bathrobe. #40279 - 09/30/01 10:06 PM Re: Audience   Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,605 Keiva Carpal Tunnel Keiva   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,605 Well, i'peter, now we know where this audience's attention was! 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