This problem was inspired by Charlie's
"Continental Pole of Inaccessibility" problem.
An irregular two dimensional shape is depicted below. Using the unit markings find the following:
1. The "center of mass" for the shape.
2. The point on the shape that lies furthest from the edge.
8 +---+---+---+ +---+---+
| | | |
7+---+ +---+ +---+
| |
6+ +
| |
5+ +---+
| |
4+ +---+
| |
3+ +---+
| |
2+ +---+
| |
1+ +---+---+
| |
0+---+---+---+---+---+---+
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
well I started by braking it up into 8 rectangular areas. for each of these I computed A (area of rectangle), x (x-coord of centroid of rectangle), and y (y-coord of centroid of rectangle). To get the rectangles I simply started at the top left worked my way right and down. For ease of notation when I reference a rectangle I will give its dimensions axb and the coordinate of its top left vertice. So the first rectangle is the 3x1 starting at (1,8). next is a 2x1 at (5,8) then a 8x2 at (0,7). I think you get the idea of my system. I get the following table of value
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 288pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=384 border=0 x:str>
<COLGROUP>
<COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" span=6 width=64>
<TBODY>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=64 height=17>n</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=64>An</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=64>xn</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=64>yn</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=64>xn*An</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=64>yn*An</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17 x:num>0</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>3</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>2.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>7.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=C2*B2">7.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=D2*B2">22.5</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17 x:num>1</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>2</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>6</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>7.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=C3*B3">12</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=D3*B3">15</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17 x:num>2</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>16</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>4</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>6</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=C4*B4">64</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=D4*B4">96</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17 x:num>3</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>7</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>3.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>4.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=C5*B5">24.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=D5*B5">31.5</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17 x:num>4</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>8</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>4</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>3.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=C6*B6">32</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=D6*B6">28</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17 x:num>5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>7</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>3.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>2.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=C7*B7">24.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=D7*B7">17.5</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17 x:num>6</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>8</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>4</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>1.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=C8*B8">32</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=D8*B8">12</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17 x:num>7</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>6</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>3</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num>0.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=C9*B9">18</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=D9*B9">3</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17>total</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=SUM(B2:B9)">57</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=SUM(E2:E9)">214.5</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num x:fmla="=SUM(F2:F9)">225.5</TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17>cx</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num="3.763157894736842" x:fmla="=E10/B10">3.763158</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17>cy</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" x:num="3.9561403508771931" x:fmla="=F10/B10">3.95614</TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD>
<TD class=xl22 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
where An is the area, xn is the x-coord of centroid, yn is y-coord of centroid. Now its quite simple to use excel to compute overall cetroid. fo x-coord simply take the sum An*xn for each n then divide by total area. do same for y-coord except with An*yn. this gives centroid of (3.763158,3.95614)
As for the second question, it is not so simple to solve I am seeing so I will continue to work on it
|
Posted by Daniel
on 2008-09-09 13:48:21 |