Model for the Petersen-Morley Theorem by Richard P. Baker, Baker #441
date: label: date made
content: ca 1906-1935
name: label: maker
content: Baker, Richard P.
notes: label: Description
content: This geometric model was made by Richard P. Baker in the early twentieth century when he was on the faculty in mathematics at the University of Iowa. Baker believed that models were essential for the teaching of many parts of mathematics and physics, and over 100 of his models are in the museum collections.
label: Description
content: Now in stored in a cardboard box with lid, the painted wire structure is presently in four pieces.
label: Description
content: This is one of nine models Baker built to correspond to figures described by the German mathematician Eduard Study inthe book cited below (Baker shortened the title to Dynamen). Baker described it in his 1931 catalog as representing the “Petersen-Morley theorem.”
label: Description
content: The Petersen-Morley theorem was developed independently by the Danish mathematician Johannes Petersen (1873-1950) and the English-born American mathematician Frank Morley (1860-1937). {Johannes Petersen would change his last name to Hjelmslev}. The theorem relates to the properties of line segments of shortest distance joining three skew lines. Morley presented a model relating to the theorem to the London Mathematical Society in 1898 and, after he had moved to the United States, an expanded version of it to the American Mathematical Society in 1899. Study also cites Petersen’s work from 1898.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Baker, R.P., <I>Mathematical Models</I>, Iowa City, 1931, p. 16.
label: Description
content: Lützen, J. "The Mystery of Ten Wooden Blocks: Hjelmslev’s Geometry of Reality," <I> Math Semesterber</I>,2020, vol. 67, pp. 161-167.
label: Description
content: Study, E., <I>Geometrie der Dynamen: Die Zusammensetzung von Kräften und Verwandte Gegenstände der Geometrie Bearb.</I>, Leipzig: B.G. Teubner, 1903, esp. pp. 106-107.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
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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.211257.091
label: accession number
content: 211257
label: catalog number
content: 211257.091
objectType: label: Object Name
content: geometric model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: cardboard box (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: red (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: green (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: orange (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: blue (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: soldered (overall production method/technique)
label: Measurements
content: average spatial: 10.5 cm x 15.6 cm x 22.9 cm; 4 1/8 in x 6 5/32 in x 9 1/32 in