Author Description

The editors of the present series of mathematical monographs have requested me to write a work on elliptic integrals which shall relate almost entirely to the three well-known elliptic integrals, with tables and examples showing practical applications, and which shall fill about one hundred octavo pages. In complying with their request, I shall limit the monograph to what is known as theL egendre-J acobi theory; and to keep the work within the desired number of pages I must confine the discussion almost entirely to what is known as the elliptic integrals of the first and second kinds. In the elementary calculus are found methods of integrating any rational expression involving under a square root sign a quadratic in one variable; in the present work, which may be regarded as a somewhat more advanced calculus; we have to integrate similar expressions where cubics and quarries in one variable occur under the root sign. Whatever be the nature of these cubics and quarries, it will be seen that the integrals may be transformed into standard normal forms. Tables are given of these normal forms, so that the integral in question may be calculated to any degree of exactness required. With the trigonometric sine function is associated its inverse function, an integral; and similarly with the normal forms of elliptic integrals there are associated elliptic functions. A short account is given of these functions which emphasizes their doubly periodic properties. By making suitable transformations and using the inverse of these functions, it is found that the integrals in question may be expressed more concisely through the normal forms and in a manner that indicates the transformation employed.(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklo