Witch of Agnesi

First honor’s paper

B y=2a

(x,y)
A
C
θ

0 x

The figure above shows a circle of radius a centered at the point C = (0, a). The points (x, y) are
obtained as follows: draw a line from the point O = (0, 0) to any point on the line y = 2a. Denote
this point by B. The line drawn intersects the circle at the point A. Draw a horizontal line through
A and a vertical line through B. The point where these two lines intersect is the point (x, y).
This curve has been studied a lot and is named after Maria Gaetana Agnesi (16 May 1718 - 9
January 1799), who was born in Milan Italy.

1. Find parametric equations for points (x, y) in terms of the angle θ, where θ is the angle
between the positive y-axis and the line OB. See the above figure.

B y=2a

D (x,y)
A
C
θ

The value y is equal to a plus the length CD = a cos(2θ). Note that angle DCA is equal to
2θ, and the length of the line CA is a. Thus, we have

y = a + a cos(2θ) and x = 2a tan θ

 A little manipulation leads to

y = a + a cos(2θ) = a 1 + cos2 θ − sin2 θ = a 1 + cos2 θ − (1 − cos2 θ)

= 2a cos2 θ

Thus, parametric equations for x and y are:

x = 2a tan θ y = 2a cos2 θ .

2. Find y as a function of x.
We first play with the expression giving x.
 
2 2 2 2 1
sec θ − 1 = 4a2
2


x = 4a tan θ = 4a −1
cos2 θ
 
2 2a
= 4a −1
y

Solving this equation for y we have

8a3
y= .
x2 + 4a2

3. Find the area, which is bounded above by this curve and below by the x-axis.

ˆ M ˆ M/2a
8a3 8a3
Area = lim dx = lim (2a)dy
M →∞ −M x2 + 4a2 M →∞ 2 2
−M/2a 4a y + 4a
2

ˆ M/2a     
2 dy 2 −1 M −1 −M
= 4a lim = 4a lim tan − tan
M →∞ −M/2a y2 + 1 M →∞ 2a 2a
= 4πa2

Notice this is 4 times the area of the circle used to generate the curve.