🚀 go-pugleaf

nospams@sorry.com wrote:
> 
> On Sat, 22 Aug 1998 10:01:26 +0200, Remco de Korte
> <remcodek@xs4all.nl> wrote:
> 
> >My problem is this:
> >
> >I have two points which can move more or less free on a plane. I want
> a
> >line (curve) connecting these points to have a constant length (that
> >should restrict the movement). How can I find this line? I'd like to
> >find some way to describe the curve, with some sine/cosine-functions
> so
> >that I can use it in a programme I'm writing.
> 
> It would appear that you are looking for the following?:
> 
> Let one point be in any arbitrary position, (h,k) coordinates.  Then
> the other point can be arbitrarily anywhere on the circle about (h,k)
> which is described by (x-h)^2 + (y-k)^2 = r^2, where "r" is the length
> of the rod.  The "line" you seem to refer to is the radius of this
> circle? ...or am I missing something?
> 
> Since this is arbitrary, there is no real "curve" describing the
> position.  Any motion would depend upon the initial conditions.

No, that's not what I mean. It's a bit hard for me to explain as English
is not my native language and I am no mathematician so I don't know the
exact words. 
Here's a second try and my idea of a way to find a solution:
two points can move relative to eachother, as if they're connected with
a tube. This tube won't stretch, but it may bend, while it's length is
constant. I want to know a way to describe the curve of this tube.
The way I see it is that if you know the length of the 'tube' (which you
may assume) and the coordinates of the points (which are variable) you
must find a circle throught the two points where the part of the circle
between thos points is equal to the length of the tube. Problem is, I
even forgot how to calculate the length of a circle-segment....

Regards,

Remco de Korte