[net.math] Distance between circles

charliep@polaris.UUCP (Charlie Perkins) (10/18/85)

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The problem:
	Find a nice formula for the distance between
	arbitrary circles in 3 dimensions.

The circles can be in any orientation relative to one
another.  The distance is defined to be the minimum
distance between any two points on the circles.
The circles could intersect, for instance.

I hesitate to submit this because I wanted to do it
myself.  I don't know if there IS is a nice formula!
Maybe I'll figure it out before anyone sends the answer...

Charlie Perkins, IBM T.J. Watson Research	philabs!polaris!charliep,
		perk%YKTVMX.BITNET@berkeley,  perk.yktvmx.ibm@csnet-relay
-- 

Charlie Perkins, IBM T.J. Watson Research	philabs!polaris!charliep,
		perk%YKTVMX.BITNET@berkeley,  perk.yktvmx.ibm@csnet-relay

pumphrey@ttidcb.UUCP (Larry Pumphrey) (10/18/85)

> -------------
> The problem:
>         Find a nice formula for the distance between
>         arbitrary circles in 3 dimensions.
>
> The circles can be in any orientation relative to one
> another.  The distance is defined to be the minimum
> distance between any two points on the circles.
> The circles could intersect, for instance.

Are we talking hoola-hoops or frisbies?  When you say "points on
the  circle" do you mean points on the perimeter?  Under certain
orientations, interior points will provide the minimum distance.

charliep@polaris.UUCP (Charlie Perkins) (10/19/85)

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By circle I meant a "hoola-hoop" -- NOT a disk
(or frisbee).  A "circular line".
-- 

Charlie Perkins, IBM T.J. Watson Research	philabs!polaris!charliep,
		perk%YKTVMX.BITNET@berkeley,  perk.yktvmx.ibm@csnet-relay