Curve

(kurv.) [L. curvus.] (Geom.) A line which, running on continually and gradually in all directions, may be cut by a right line in more points than one. The number of curves that might be drawn is infinite. Among the most interesting are the following: 1, circle; 2, ellipse; 3, hyperbola; 4, parabola; 5, ci oid of Diocles; 6, conchoid of Nicomedes; 7, lemniscata; 8, cycloid; 9, harmonic curve; 10, trochoid; 11, the witch; 12, car diode; 13, curves of circular functions-e.g., curve of sines; 14, the logarithmic curve; 15, the spiral of Arch i me des; 16, the catenary; 17, the tractory; 18, the tractrix; 19, the ovals of Ca ini; 20, the reciprocal spiral. The higher geometry investigates the amount of curvature of curves, their length, the surface they enclose, . [s. 254]