170
ON GEODESIC LINES,
[508
22. Changing the notation, and writing
P-(a + p) (b+p) (c +p),
Q =(a + q)(b + q)(c + q),
<ï> = (<£ 2 — 7 2 ) (« + b — 2c — </)),
the equation is
yjr y^ yyj
or if, instead of <£, we introduce the original parameter a, then, observing that
2 da d(f)
we at once find
dp dq 4¡da
7p + 7Q + VZ
where
% = 7 (1 + cr 4 ) — 2 (a + b — 2c) cr 2 ,
or, what is the same thing,
£ = a (<r 2 — l) 2 — 6 (cr 2 + l) 2 + c . 4cr 2 ;
viz. passing from a point (p, q) on the line cr to a consecutive point (p + dp, q + dq)
on the line cr + da, the above is the relation between the variations dp, dq, dcr. If r
be the parameter of the other line through the same point, then we have in like
manner, say
(viz. one of the radicals \JP, VQ mu st present itself with a reversed sign): and we
thus have dp, dq each expressed in terms of da, dr; viz. we have the increments
dp, dq when a point passes from (cr, r) to (a + da, t + dr). These results will be
presently obtained in a more simple manner.
Formulae where the position of a Point on the Surface is determined by means of the .
two Lines through the Point.
23. We may determine the position of a point by means of the parameters a, r
of the two lines through the point. The equations of these are
w _!
cr