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On the Archimedean characterization of parabolas

Differential Geometry 2013-05-16 v1

Abstract

Archimedes knew that the area between a parabola and any chord ABAB on the parabola is four thirds of the area of triangle ΔABP\Delta ABP where P is the point on the parabola at which the tangent is parallel to ABAB. We consider whether this property (and similar ones) characterizes parabolas. We present five conditions which are necessary and sufficient for a strictly convex curve in the plane to be a parabola.

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Cite

@article{arxiv.1305.3337,
  title  = {On the Archimedean characterization of parabolas},
  author = {Dong-Soo Kim and Young Ho Kim},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1305.3337},
  year   = {2013}
}

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13 pages