Abstract
WE had the pleasure of noticing with commendation (NATURE, vol. xxvi. p. 197) a previous collection of examples by Mr. Roberts on conies and some of the higher plane curves. This has all the merits of the former work, with, we fancy, increased power and skill in the methods employed. A portion of the exercises is common to both works. Much space is devoted to the discussion of properties of circles connected with a conic, especially of circles having double contact with the curve. Great use is here made, and effectively, of elliptic coordinates. “This method simplifies greatly the study of relations involving the angles of intersection of such systems,” i.e. as have double contact with two fixed confocal conies, “whose differential equations take a simple form.” In all there are fifteen chapters, the last of which treats of sphero-conics; in this chapter also much use is made of elliptic coordinates. The collection is likely to be very serviceable to junior students, and will be convenient for reference generally. After perusal we have not detected, we believe, any errata that will cause such students as can use the book with profit any trouble.
A Collection of Examples on the Analytic Geometry of Plane Conies; to which are added some Examples on Sphero-Conics.
By R. A. Roberts. (Dublin University Press Series, 1884.)
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[Book Reviews]. Nature 30, 143 (1884). https://doi.org/10.1038/030143c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/030143c0