Problem of the Week: 1-8 February 2001


PROBLEM 1

Given a circle or radius r = 1 and centered at the origin O, find the equation of the "smallest" parabola which encloses the circle; that is, find the equation of the parabola which is both tangent to the circle and for which the area cut off by the line BC, see the figure on the left, is minimal.


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University of Arizona
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Last Updated: February 5, 2001