info prev up next book cdrom email home

Orthoptic Curve

An Isoptic Curve formed from the locus of Tangents meeting at Right Angles. The orthoptic of a Parabola is its Directrix. The orthoptic of a central Conic was investigated by Monge and is a Circle concentric with the Conic Section. The orthoptic of an Astroid is a Circle.

Curve Orthoptic
Astroid Quadrifolium
Cardioid Circle or Limaçon
Deltoid Circle
Logarithmic Spiral equal Logarithmic Spiral
Parabola Directrix


References

Lawrence, J. D. A Catalog of Special Plane Curves. New York: Dover, pp. 58 and 207, 1972.




© 1996-9 Eric W. Weisstein
1999-05-26