How is the Catenary Equation Derived?

[amcavoy]

I am curious as to how the equation of a catenary was derived:

x = t
y = a*cosh(t)

Does anyone have any insight on this or know a good webpage that can explain it?

Thank you for the assistance.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Here's the most in depth I could find:

http://www.kmlhs.org/faculty/TKUEHL/Precalculus/MESA/Arch/Arch%20History.htm

 

[Cyrus]

Its long and complicated. I would get a nice statics book to show you the solution.


http://planetmath.org/encyclopedia/ChainCurve.html

(Link really does not show you how anything is derived though)

http://www.whim.org/nebula/math/catenary.html

(again not great)

Go get yourself Statics by RC Hibbeler, and Ill help you if u are stuck.

 

[amcavoy]

Thanks for the links. I actually found something almost identical to the material on the Planetmath site (it also had a picture, though). For now, I think something like that is sufficient (although I'm sure I'll come across it in a future class). Thanks again...