Osculating Circle Maplet
This Maplet plots a parameterized space curve together with its osculating circle (the circle that best approximates the curve at the point of tangency) at a time t. The osculating circle lies in the plane determined by the tangent and normal to the curve, its radius is 1/curvature, and the line from the center of the circle to the point of tangency to the curve is parallel to the normal vector. The space curve has three coordinate functions of time: F(t), G(t), and H(t). The endpoints of the desired time interval are entered in the text boxes, and the time t when the osculating circle is computed is adjusted with the slider. Sliders may be moved with the mouse or changed incremetally by selecting with the mouse and then using the arrow keys. The textboxes under Time of Tangency are output only. Various buttons on the menu bar change the appearance of the plot.
