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Lemniscate elliptic functions

Lemniscate elliptic functions is a mathematics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Lemniscate elliptic functions rather than just read about it. In short: In mathematics, the lemniscate elliptic functions are elliptic functions related to the arc length of the lemniscate of Bernoulli. They were first studied by Giulio Fagnano in 1718 and later by Leonhard Euler and Carl Friedrich Gauss, among others.

Lemniscate elliptic functions — main illustration
Lemniscate elliptic functions — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Lemniscate elliptic functions belongs to mathematics; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Lemniscate elliptic functions to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Lemniscate elliptic functions from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In mathematics, the lemniscate elliptic functions are elliptic functions related to the arc length of the lemniscate of Bernoulli. They were first studied by Giulio Fagnano in 1718 and later by Leonhard Euler and Carl Friedrich Gauss, among others. The lemniscate sine and lemniscate cosine functions, usually written with the symbols sl and cl (sometimes the symbols sinlem and coslem or sin lemn and cos lemn are used instead), are analogous to the trigonometric functions sine and cosine. While the trigonometric sine relates the arc length to the chord length in a unit-diameter circle x 2 + y 2 = x , {\displaystyle x^{2}+y^{2}=x,} the lemniscate sine relates the arc length to the chord length of a lemniscate ( x 2 + y 2 )

2 = x 2 − y 2 . {\displaystyle {\bigl (}x^{2}+y^{2}{\bigr )}{}^{2}=x^{2}-y^{2}.}

The lemniscate functions have periods related to a number ϖ = {\displaystyle \varpi =} 2.622057... called the lemniscate constant, the ratio of a lemniscate's perimeter to its diameter. This number is a quartic analog of the (quadratic) π = {\displaystyle \pi =} 3.141592..., ratio of perimeter to diameter of a circle. As complex functions, sl and cl have a square period lattice (a multiple of the Gaussian integers) with fundamental periods { ( 1 + i ) ϖ , ( 1 − i ) ϖ } , {\displaystyle \{(1+i)\varpi ,(1-i)\varpi \},} and are a special case of two Jacobi elliptic functions on that lattice, sl ⁡ z = sn ⁡ ( z ; − 1 ) , {\displaystyle \operatorname {sl} z=\operatorname {sn} (z;-1),} cl ⁡ z = cd ⁡ ( z ; − 1 ) {\displaystyle \operatorname {cl} z=\operatorname {cd} (z;-1)} . Similarly, the hyperbolic lemniscate sine slh and hyperbolic lemniscate cosine clh have a square period lattice with fundamental periods { 2 ϖ , 2 ϖ i } . {\displaystyle {\bigl \{}{\sqrt {2}}\varpi ,{\sqrt {2}}\varpi i{\bigr \}}.}

The lemniscate functions and the hyperbolic lemniscate functions are related to the Weierstrass elliptic function ℘ ( z ; a , 0 ) {\displaystyle \wp (z;a,0)} .

Lemniscate sine and cosine functions

Definitions The lemniscate functions sl and cl can be defined as the solution to the initial value problem:

d d z sl ⁡ z = ( 1 + sl 2 ⁡ z ) cl ⁡ z , d d z cl ⁡ z = − ( 1 + cl 2 ⁡ z ) sl ⁡ z , sl ⁡ 0 = 0 , cl ⁡ 0 = 1 , {\displaystyle {\frac {\mathrm {d} }{\mathrm {d} z}}\operatorname {sl} z={\bigl (}1+\operatorname {sl} ^{2}z{\bigr )}\operatorname {cl} z,\ {\frac {\mathrm {d} }{\mathrm {d} z}}\operatorname {cl} z=-{\bigl (}1+\operatorname {cl} ^{2}z{\bigr )}\operatorname {sl} z,\ \operatorname {sl} 0=0,\ \operatorname {cl} 0=1,}

or equivalently as the inverses of an elliptic integral, the Schwarz–Christoffel map from the complex unit disk to a square with corners { 1 2 ϖ , 1 2 ϖ i , − 1 2 ϖ , − 1 2 ϖ i } : {\displaystyle {\big \{}{\tfrac {1}{2}}\varpi ,{\tfrac {1}{2}}\varpi i,-{\tfrac {1}{2}}\varpi ,-{\tfrac {1}{2}}\varpi i{\big \}}\colon }

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Lemniscate elliptic functions: The lemniscate sine (red) and lemniscate cosine (purple) applied to a real argument, in comparison with the trigonometric sine y = sin(πx/ϖ) (pale dashed red).
The lemniscate sine (red) and lemniscate cosine (purple) applied to a real argument, in comparison with the trigonometric sine y = sin(πx/ϖ) (pale dashed red).
Lemniscate elliptic functions: The lemniscate sine function and hyperbolic lemniscate sine functions are defined as inverses of elliptic integrals. The complete integrals are related to the lemniscate constant ϖ.
The lemniscate sine function and hyperbolic lemniscate sine functions are defined as inverses of elliptic integrals. The complete integrals are related to the lemniscate constant ϖ.
Lemniscate elliptic functions: sl
      
    
    {\displaystyle \operatorname {sl} }
  
 in the complex plane.[12] In the picture, it can be seen that the fundamental periods 
  
    
      
        (
        1
        +
        i
        )
        ϖ
      
    
    {\displaystyle (1+i)\varpi }
  
 and 
  
    
      
        (
        1
        −
        i
        )
        ϖ
      
    
    {\displaystyle (1-i)\varpi }
  
 are "minimal" in the sense that they have the smallest absolute value of all periods whose real part is non-negative.
sl {\displaystyle \operatorname {sl} } in the complex plane.[12] In the picture, it can be seen that the fundamental periods ( 1 + i ) ϖ {\displaystyle (1+i)\varpi } and ( 1 − i ) ϖ {\displaystyle (1-i)\varpi } are "minimal" in the sense that they have the smallest absolute value of all periods whose real part is non-negative.
Lemniscate elliptic functions: Curves x² ⊕ y² = a for various values of a. Negative a in green, positive a in blue, a = ±1 in red, a = ∞ in black.
Curves x² ⊕ y² = a for various values of a. Negative a in green, positive a in blue, a = ±1 in red, a = ∞ in black.
Lemniscate elliptic functions: The lemniscate sine and cosine relate the arc length of an arc of the lemniscate to the distance of one endpoint from the origin.
The lemniscate sine and cosine relate the arc length of an arc of the lemniscate to the distance of one endpoint from the origin.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Lemniscate elliptic functions

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Lemniscate elliptic functions claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In mathematics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Lemniscate elliptic functions before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Lemniscate elliptic functions ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Lemniscate elliptic functions

In research
Lemniscate elliptic functions appears in mathematics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Lemniscate elliptic functions in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Lemniscate elliptic functions is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Elliptic functions, Modular forms, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Lemniscate elliptic functions outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Lemniscate elliptic functions in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Lemniscate elliptic functions means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Lemniscate elliptic functions out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lemniscate elliptic functions in simple terms?

In mathematics, the lemniscate elliptic functions are elliptic functions related to the arc length of the lemniscate of Bernoulli. They were first studied by Giulio Fagnano in 1718 and later by Leonhard Euler and Carl Friedrich Gauss, among others.

Why does Lemniscate elliptic functions matter?

Because it connects several mathematics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Lemniscate elliptic functions?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Lemniscate elliptic functions.

Tags

  • Elliptic functions
  • Modular forms

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