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Tuyen Nguyen
Cluster 6: Mathematics
HYPERBOLIC PARABOLOID

Abstract:
In Manchester, Greater Manchester (United Kingdom), there is a footbridge called
Hyperbolic Paraboloid Bridge, which was built in 1999. What is a hyperbolic paraboloid (HP)?
Basically, it is a saddle shape. For example, if you twist a square mesh, you will get a HP. This
shape can be created by paper folding using origami paper, as shown in the model I made. A
hyperbolic paraboloid is a double ruled surface. A surface is the boundary of a three-
dimensional figure. This means that a surface is the two-dimensional locus of points located in
three-dimensional space or a portion of space having length and breadth but no thickness
(dictionary.com). In this project, I will explain about the double ruled surface, the hyperbolic
paraboloid. The significance of the results is to explore what a HP is and how it changes after
connecting the vertices.





Figure 1: The origami model of the hyperbolic paraboloid



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Figure 3: Connecting vertices

Introduction:
The Hyperbolic paraboloid is a name that is not familiar to most people. However, there
are many mathematicians who study it. Theodore Olivier (1800s) was one of those who created
several beautiful models including the HP (see figure 1). Richard Rhodes recently made a
hyperbolic paraboloid sculpture, which was made of 500-year-old Chinese granite slabs. It was
shown during the construction in China in November 2002. The HP does not only relate in
Mathematics, but also is used for construction decoration. In 1964, the Venice Beach Pavilion
was built on the Gulf of Mexico. It was designed by architect Cyril T. Tucker and engineer
William Lindh. The pavilions roof was designed in the form of a hyperbolic paraboloid. Being
interested in the HP, my paper explores it as well as parabolas, hyperbolas and the hypothesis of
connecting the vertices.






Figure 2: The Olivier Model (left) and the Venice Beach Pavilion (right)
I want to know how I can find the hyperbolas, parabolas, and why it is a double ruled
surface. In addition, what do I construct if I connect the vertices A and C, and B and D together?



A
C
B D
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In this project, I will show you some interesting things that I found out in my research of
the hyperbolic paraboloid.
Materials and Methods:
Most of the answers or directions on how to create a HP were Internet resources. I also
read books with visual graphics of different rotations of a three-dimensional shape (3-D shape) to
get more information and understanding of the HP, which is also three dimensional. I assume
that the reader knows the concepts of hyperbola and parabola. To get the answer for my third
question, I used tin foil to create a model and drew what I saw. I did this to get an idea of what
the shape would look like when I connected the vertices.
Discussion:
Double ruled surface:
A double ruled surface is that for every point on the surface, there are exactly two lines
that go through the point, and are contained in the surface. The only two double ruled surfaces
are the hyperbolic paraboloid and single-sheeted hyperboloid (1-sheeted hyperboloid).




Figure 4: Double Ruled Surface
Where are the lines in HP?


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Figure 5: HP, a double ruled surface
In the figure 5, we can see two lines l
1
and l
2
going through point A. They are also
contained in the surface above, which also represents the hyperbolic paraboloid.
Parabola:
It is not hard to find the parabolas in the HP because all you need to do is to look at it
horizontally.




What happens if I twist it a little more?
Figure 7: Uniplanar







A
B
l
4

l
5

l
4
l
5

(Wolfgang Boehm
and Hartmut
Prautzsch)
Figure 6: Parabola in HP.
l
1
l
2

5
Looking at the curve above (from l
4
to l
5
) we can see that it is a parabola. However, the
whole curve is uniplanar, which means it is situated or occurring in one plane. Since, the result
turns out not to be a parabola, the question is: Are there any special angles that we should use to
create a hyperbolic paraboloid?
Hyperbola:
The hyperbolas are more complicated to see because you will not see them easily unless
you cut the HP horizontally.



Figure 8: Cutting the HP
(The arrow in figure 8 shows the viewers direction.)





Figure 9: Hyperbolas in HP
If you notice the arrows, you will see the hyperbola has changed. That means that the
hyperbolas will change the direction (from horizontal to vertical) if we keep cutting downward.



cutting
cutting
1
2
1
2
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Figure 10: Transferring direction of hyperbolas
So, what happens in between them?










Figure 10
The equation for the horizontal hyperbola is:
x
2
y
2
= 1
a
2
b
2
dsf

And the vertical hyperbola is:
y
2
x
2
= 1
a
2
b
2
dsf
First, let a be the length of the major axis and n is any positive number. The a-value will
decrease from n to 0. Since, the a-value gets closer to zero, it is not a hyperbola because the
asymptotes will cross the other branch. After that, a-value begins increasing from 0 to n and the
shape (the graph) will transfer to be the vertical hyperbola.
Horizontal hyperbola
Vertical hyperbola
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Connecting:
Connecting the vertices A and C, B and D together will make the shape change.












Figure 11
We cannot make it out of paper because it requires a flexible material to create the shape.
And the result turns out not to be a hyperbolic paraboloid.
Let us call it the 8-shape. This 8-shape has two parts and both of them have the same
minor axes, which is the distance between the center and the projection of A onto x-axis. They
also have the same major axes, which is the distance from the center to the vertices. This 8-
shape is also three-dimensional.




Figure 12
However, it is not a ruled surface, which is a surface such that for every point of the
surface, there is a straight line passing through the point, contained in the surface. The 8-shape is
made of curves that begin at the same vertex and then return there after traveling around.
B

A
D
C
8
These curves are the nodes. Finally, the 8-shape has many similarities with the hyperbola such
as the minor and major axes, center and vertices but it is not two-dimensional. I am still working
on finding the result or the equation for the graph. (figure 11)
Bibliography:
Boehm, Wolfgang and Prautzsch, Hartmut. Geometric Concepts For Geometric Design:
Algebraic Surfaces (305-307)
<http://www.amherst.edu/~amcastro/Mathmedia/Galleries/Surfaces/Hiplar.html>
Weisstein, Eric W. Wolfram Research, Inc.
<http://www.ualberta.ca/dept/math/gauss/fcm/calculus/multvrb/grph_hyprblc_prbld.htm>
Sharp, John.
<http://www.mathsyear2000.org.explorer/slice/surface.shtml>
http://www.thok.dlc/hyperbol.html
Demaine, Erik.
<http://theory.lcs.mit.edu/~edemaine/hypar>
http://www.structurae.de/en/structures/data/str02093.php
http://www.ceciliacotton.ca/archives/00000188.htm
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=surface