108
ON THE STEREOGrRAPHIC PROJECTION OF THE SPHERICAL CONE.
[327
the last term vanishes, and the equation gives y~ = 0, or
= 2 (1 — x 2 — 2c 2 cot 2 /3)
= 4 (— c 2 + c V1 + c 2 — c 2 cot 2 /3)
= 4c (— c cosec 2 /3 + Vl + c 2 ),
the upper sign corresponding to the exterior values
± x = Vl + c 2 + c,
and the lower sign to the interior values
+ x = Vl + c 2 — c.
In the former case the values of y are imaginary; in the latter case they are real if
vr+ c 2 > c cosec 2 /3,
or, what is the same thing, if
sin 2 /3 > == ;
Vl + c 2
that is, if (for a given value of c) /3 is sufficiently great, but otherwise they are
imaginary.
If, as in the annexed figures, c = T % (and therefore / v /, l + c 2 = |f, Vl+c 2 +c = f,
Fig. 1. Fig. 2.
Vl + c 2 — c = f), then for the limiting value of /3 we have
sin 2 /3 = -^- -3846, sin /3 = ‘62, or /3 = 38° nearly.
In the first figure /3 is less, in the second figure greater than this value: the form
for the limiting value is obvious from a comparison of the two figures.
I take the opportunity to mention the following theorem, which is perhaps known,
but I have not met with it anywhere; viz. any three circles, each two of which meet,