SAURIN, JOSEPH.

Solution et Analyses de quelques Problêmes appatenans aux nouvelles Méthodes. (+) Solution Generale du Probleme, ou parmi une infinité de Courbes semblables décrites sur un Plan vertical, & aiant un même axe & un même point d'origine, il s'agit de déterminer celle dont l'arc compris entre le point d'origine & une ligne donnée de position, est parcouru dans le plus court tems possible. (2 papers).

(Paris, Jean Boudot, 1711). 4to. Without wrappers. Extracted from "Mémoires de l'Academie des Sciences. Année 1709". Pp. 26-35 a. 1 folded engraved plate. + pp. 257-266 a. 1 folded engraved plate.

First printing of two historical papers in the development of the diffrential calculus.

"Saurin’s two papers (1709) on curves of quickest descent represent a solution of a problem first posed by Jakob I Bernoulli - to find which of the infinitely many cycloids linking a given point as origin to a given line is the curve of quickest descent from the point to the line - and then an extension of the problem to any family of similar curves. Saurin followed the differential methods of Johann I Bernoulli, although he studiously avoided taking a position in the brothers’famous quarrel."(DSB).

Order-nr.: 45235