Slope of Tangent to Cycloid/Historical Note

Historical Note on Slope of Tangent to Cycloid

Some sources suggest that the first to solve the problem of constructing a tangent to the cycloid was Galileo Galilei, along with his pupil at the time Vincenzo Viviani.

Other sources cite the geometric proof of René Descartes, which dates to $1638$, although yet other sources suggest it was Gilles Personne de Roberval in the same year.

It has been documented that Pierre de Fermat solved the problem immediately once it had been proposed to him.

Sources

• 1937: Eric Temple Bell: Men of Mathematics ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text{V}$: "Greatness and Misery of Man"
• 1992: George F. Simmons: Calculus Gems ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text {A}.15$: Torricelli ($\text {1608}$ – $\text {1647}$)
• 1992: George F. Simmons: Calculus Gems ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text {B}.21$: The Cycloid
• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): cycloid
• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Viviani, Vincenzo (1622-1703)
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): cycloid
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Viviani, Vincenzo (1622-1703)