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ERIC Number: EJ971021
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Nov
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0746-8342
EISSN: N/A
Finding Rational Parametric Curves of Relative Degree One or Two
Boyles, Dave
College Mathematics Journal, v41 n5 p371-382 Nov 2010
A plane algebraic curve, the complete set of solutions to a polynomial equation: f(x, y) = 0, can in many cases be drawn using parametric equations: x = x(t), y = y(t). Using algebra, attempting to parametrize by means of rational functions of t, one discovers quickly that it is not the degree of f but the "relative degree," that describes how difficult the computations become. When the relative degree is one, the parametrization technique is well-known (and quite simple). When it is two, solutions can still be directly computed using the quadratic formula. Here, we demonstrate a general method for relative degree two, focusing on specific examples.
Mathematical Association of America. 1529 Eighteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-741-9415; Tel: 202-387-5200; Fax: 202-387-1208; e-mail: maahq@maa.org; Web site: http://www.maa.org/pubs/cmj.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A