Geometric Model by A. Harry Wheeler, Spherical Polar Triangles

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Wheeler, Albert Harry
Description
This cut and folded tan paper model is one of several in which A. Harry Wheeler illustrated properties of polar spherical triangles. A line perpendicular to the plane of a great circle of a sphere intersects the sphere in two points called poles (for example, on the earth, the great circle of the equator has poles the North Pole and South Pole). In the model, the outer spherical triangle has vertices labeled A, B, and C. Sides a, b, and c are opposite the corresponding vertices. Vertices of the inner spherical triangle are A2, B2, and C2, with sides a 2, b2, and c2. A is the pole nearest A2 of the great circle of the sphere that includes the arc B2 C2. B is the pole nearest B2 of the great circle that includes the arc A2C2. C is the pole nearest C2 of the great circle that includes arc A2B2. Also, spherical triangle A2B2C2 is the polar triangle of spherical triangle ABC (A2 is the pole nearest A of a great circle through BC and so forth).
In this model, the point C moves along the arc AC and the point B2 along the arc B2C2.
The model is among those Wheeler dubbed collapsible.
Reference:
G. van Brummelen, Heavenly Mathematics: The Forgotten Art of Spherical Trigonometry, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2013.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of Helen M. Wheeler
ID Number
MA.304723.169
accession number
304723
catalog number
304723.169
Object Name
Geometric Model
Physical Description
paper (overall material)
tan (overall color)
cut and folded (overall production method/technique)
Measurements
average spatial: 7 cm x 9 cm x 5 cm; 2 3/4 in x 3 17/32 in x 1 31/32 in
place made
United States: Massachusetts, Worcester
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Mathematics
Trigonometry
Science & Mathematics
Spherical Trigonometry
National Museum of American History
Subject
Mathematics
Record ID
nmah_1066624
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b2-bd0f-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
Geometric Model by A. Harry Wheeler, Spherical Triangles
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