Model of the Hyperbolic Paraboloid of Normals to a Generator of a Scroll, by Richard P. Baker, Baker #151 (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 100 of his models are in the museum collections.
label: Description
content: The typed part of a paper label on the wooden base reads: No. 151 (/) Hyperbolic paraboloid of (/) normals to a generator (/) of a scroll. The model is listed with that title in an unnamed subsection of the Differential Geometry section of Baker’s 1931 catalog. A scroll is just another name for a ruled surface and each of the yellow threads is a generator of that scroll. Since there is a horizontal blue thread and pink thread that meets the vertical yellow thread, they are normal to that generator of the yellow surface. The blue threads on the tall vertical wooden pieces appear define branches of a hyperbola thus defining the blue surface as a hyperboloid. Similarly, the pink threads on the curved shorter vertical wooden pieces appear to define parabolas thus defining the pink surface as a paraboloid. Furthermore, in several of the photographs, NMAH-DOR2013-18624, NMAH-DOR2013-18623, NMAH-DOR2013-18625, and NMAH-DOR2013-18628, the yellow surface appears to meet blue surface in a parabola, while in NMAH-DOR2013-18627 and NMAH-DOR2013-18629, the yellow surface appears to meet the pink surface in one branch of a hyperbola. Thus, if all these observations are correct, the pink surface and the blue surface are both hyperbolic paraboloids.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: Richard P. Baker, Mathematical Models, Iowa City, 1931, p. 12.
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.211257.031
label: accession number
content: 211257
label: catalog number
content: 211257.031
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: black (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: yellow (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: red (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: blue (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: screwed and threaded (overall production method/technique)
label: Measurements
content: average spatial: 28 cm x 25.3 cm x 25.3 cm; 11 1/32 in x 9 31/32 in x 9 31/32 in