WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

Modeling a Pseudosphere with Cones

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move leash
1.3
show cone
pitch
0.25
number of cones
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
separate cones
1
A tractrix is the curve traced by a point connected to another point by a segment (leash) of fixed length as the second point moves along a straight line. The pseudosphere is the solid obtained by revolving the tractrix about its asymptote (the aforementioned straight line). In this Demonstration, the pseudosphere is approximated by a series of cones formed by revolving the leash about the asymptote.