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This applet helps you explore the cycloid which is the curve
traced by a fixed point on the circumference of a circle as the circle
rolls along a line in a plane.
TUTORIAL
objectives:
1-understand what is a cycloid.
2-find the coordinates of a point P on the circumference of a circle as it
rolls along a line.
NOTE: you can change the radius of the circle (use the slider).
You can use the auto mode or the step mode. If anything goes wrong just use the reset button.
1 - Use the system of axes (magenta) inside the circle to find the coordinates
of point P (in this system) in terms of the radius of the circle and the angle that is changing.
2 - To find the coordinates of point P in the main system (black), add the coordinates of the center of the circle in the main system to the coordinates obtained in part 1 above.