Pedal curve

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Limaçon — pedal curve of a circle

In the differential geometry of curves, a pedal curve is a curve derived by construction from a given curve (as is, for example, the involute).

Take a curve and a fixed point P (called the pedal point). On any line T is a unique point X which is either P or forms with P a line perpendicular to T. The pedal curve is the set of all X for which T is a tangent of the curve.

The pedal "curve" may be disconnected; indeed, for a polygon, it is simply isolated points.

Analytically, if P is the pedal point and c a parametrisation of the curve then

$t\mapsto c(t)+{\langle c'(t),P-c(t)\rangle\over|c'(t)|^2} c'(t)$

parametrises the pedal curve (disregarding points where c' is zero or undefined).

The contrapedal curve is the set of all X for which T is perpendicular to the curve.

$t\mapsto P-{\langle c'(t),P-c(t)\rangle\over|c'(t)|^2} c'(t)$

With the same pedal point, it happens to be the pedal curve of the evolute.

In the plane, for every point X other than P there is a unique line through X perpendicular to XP. The negative pedal curve is the envelope of the lines for which X lies on the given curve. The negative pedal curve of a pedal curve with the same pedal point is the original curve.

given curve	pedal point	pedal curve	contrapedal curve
line	any	point	parallel line
circle	on circumference	cardioid	—
parabola	on axis	conchoid of de Sluze	—
parabola	on tangent of vertex	ophiuride	—
parabola	focus	line	—
other conic section	focus	circle	—
logarithmic spiral	pole	congruent log spiral	congruent log spiral
epicycloid hypocycloid	center	rose	rose
involute of circle	center of circle	Archimedean spiral	the circle