Model of the Intersection of Cones by Richard P. Baker, Baker #504 (a Ruled Surface)
date: label: date made
content: ca 1906-1935
name: label: maker
content: Baker, Richard P.
notes: label: Description
content: This geometric model was constructed by Richard P. Baker in the early twentieth century when he was Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Iowa. Baker believed that models were essential for the teaching of many parts of mathematics and physics, and over one hundred of his models are in the museum collections.
label: Description
content: The typed part of a paper label on the wooden base reads: No. 504 (/) GENERAL; ROOTS 1, 1, 1. The model has a wooden frame painted black, held together with metal screws and a metal crosspiece. The threads go crosswise. They represent two double cones, one (in yellow) with equal ellipses at both ends and the other (in red) with circles at both ends. The major axis of the elliptic cone is the same length as the radius of the circle. The cones have a common vertex at the center.
label: Description
content: This was the simplest of five models Wheeler designed of “cones with a common vertex.” Four of these are in the Smithsonian collections. They are Wheeler’s numbers 504 (MA.211257.098), 505 (MA.211257.099), 507 (MA.211257.100), and 508 MA.211257.101).
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: Richard P. Baker, “Mathematical Models,” Iowa City, Iowa, January, 1931, p. 10.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Frances E. Baker
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.211257.098
label: accession number
content: 211257
label: catalog number
content: 211257.098
objectType: label: Object Name
content: geometric model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: thread (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: red (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: black (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: yellow (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: screwed, bolted and threaded. (overall production method/technique)
label: Measurements
content: average spatial: 22.4 cm x 19.6 cm x 19.8 cm; 8 13/16 in x 7 23/32 in x 7 25/32 in