De motu cymbarum remis propulsarum in fluviis

English Title

On the movement of a boat with oars propelled through running waters

Authors

Leonhard Euler

Enestrom Number

94

Fuss Index

599

Original Language

Latin

Content Summary

Euler considers the following problem: A boat with a perfect rudder moves at constant speed across a stream flowing in straight fillets at assigned speeds. Assuming that the downstream velocity of the boat equals that of the river, how should the rudder be set so that the boat traverses a given path? He works out various instances, one of which gives rise to a variational problem, in detail. (Based on Clifford Truesdell's An idiot's fugitive essays on science: methods, criticisms, training, circumstances.)

Published as

Journal article

Published Date

1747

Written Date

1738

Original Source Citation

Commentarii academiae scientiarum Petropolitanae, Volume 10, pp. 22-39.

Opera Omnia Citation

Series 2, Volume 20, pp.83-100.

Record Created

2018-09-25