答案1
最速降线是一条倒置的摆线。您可以在 Metapost 中绘制一条最速降线,想象自己正在沿 x 轴滚动一个轮子。 这是另一个摆线图问题。
prologues := 3;
outputtemplate := "%j%c.eps";
beginfig(1);
numeric u, r;
u = 5mm;
r = 4u;
path xx, yy, A, B, C;
xx = (left -- 8 right) scaled u;
yy = (up -- 8 down) scaled u;
% define an inverted cycloid
A = origin for t=5 step 5 until 200: -- (0,r) rotated t shifted(r*t/57.29578,-r) endfor;
% find the point on it where it crosses the line y=-x
z0 = A intersectionpoint ((u,-u) -- (10u,-10u));
% define the straight line and the arc
B = origin -- z0;
C = quartercircle rotated 180 scaled 2x0 shifted (x0,0);
draw A cutafter z0 withcolor .53 blue;
draw B withcolor .67 red;
draw C withcolor .48 green;
draw (0,y0) -- z0 -- (x0,0) dashed withdots scaled 1/3;
drawarrow xx withcolor .5 white;
drawarrow yy withcolor .5 white;
dotlabel.urt("Start", origin);
dotlabel.lrt ("End", z0);
endfig;
end.