Osculating Circle Homework: Solving for Curvature Limit

In summary, an osculating circle is a circle that touches a curve at a single point, with the same curvature as the curve at that point. It is important to solve for the curvature limit, which is the maximum curvature that a curve can have at a specific point, as it helps determine the smoothness and predictability of the curve. To solve for the curvature limit, you can find the equation of the osculating circle at the specific point and then find the radius of the circle, which is equal to the reciprocal of the curvature. If the curvature limit is infinite, it means that the curve is a straight line at that point. The curvature limit cannot be negative as curvature is always a positive value.
  • #1
Adeel Ahmad
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Homework Statement


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I know I would use the curvature equation |f''| / [1-(f')^2]^3/2 and then take the limit of that to -1. I just don't understand why I have to take the limit of the curvature and when I take the limit of the curvature I get |-1| / (13)^3/2 when the answer should be 2.
 
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  • #2
This is my work:
 

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1. What is an osculating circle?

An osculating circle is a circle that touches a curve at a single point, with the same curvature as the curve at that point. It is also known as the "circle of best fit" for the curve.

2. Why is it important to solve for the curvature limit?

The curvature limit is the maximum curvature that a curve can have at a specific point. It is important to solve for this limit because it helps determine the smoothness and predictability of the curve, which can have practical applications in various fields such as engineering, physics, and computer graphics.

3. How do you solve for the curvature limit?

To solve for the curvature limit, you first need to find the equation of the osculating circle at the specific point. This can be done by using the first and second derivative of the function representing the curve. Then, you can find the radius of the osculating circle, which is equal to the reciprocal of the curvature. The curvature limit is then the reciprocal of the radius of the osculating circle.

4. What does it mean if the curvature limit is infinite?

If the curvature limit is infinite, it means that the curve is a straight line at that point. This indicates that the curve has no curvature and is completely flat, with a slope of zero.

5. Can the curvature limit be negative?

No, the curvature limit cannot be negative. Curvature is a measure of how much a curve deviates from a straight line, so it is always a positive value. If the curvature limit is negative, it means that the curve is turning in the opposite direction, which is not possible.

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