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Metrical Problems in Minkowski Geometry

In this dissertation we study basic metrical properties of 2-dimensional normed linear spaces, so-called (Minkowski or) normed planes.

In the first chapter we introduce a notion of angular measure, and we investigate under what conditions certain angular measures in a Minkowski plane exist. We show that only the Euclidean angular measure has the property that in an isosceles triangle the base angles are of equal size. However, angular measures with the property that the angle between orthogonal vectors has a value of pi/2, i.e, a quarter of the full circle, exist in a wider variety of normed planes, depending on the type of orthogonality. Due to this we have a closer look at isosceles and Birkhoff orthogonality. Finally, we present results concerning angular bisectors.

In the second chapter we pay attention to convex quadrilaterals. We give definitions of different types of rectangles and rhombi and analyse under what conditions they coincide. Combinations of defining properties of rectangles and rhombi will yield squares, and we will see that any two types of squares are equal if and only if the plane is Euclidean. Additionally, we define a ``new\'\' type of quadrilaterals, the so-called codises. Since codises and rectangles coincide in Radon planes, we will explain why it makes sense to distinguish these two notions. For this purpose we introduce the concept of associated parallelograms.

Finally we will deal with metrically defined conics, i.e., with analogues of conic sections in normed planes. We define metric ellipses (hyperbolas) as loci of points that have constant sum (difference) of distances to two given points, the so-called foci. Also we define metric parabolas as loci of points whose distance to a given point equals the distance to a fixed line. We present connections between the shape of the unit ball B and the shape of conics. More precisely, we will see that straight segments and corner points of B cause, under certain conditions, that conics have straight segments and corner points, too. Afterwards we consider intersecting ellipses and hyperbolas with identical foci. We prove that in special Minkowski planes, namely in the subfamily of polygonal planes, confocal ellipses and hyperbolas intersect in a way called Birkhoff orthogonal, whenever the respective ellipse is large enough.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa.de:bsz:ch1-qucosa-95007
Date19 October 2012
CreatorsFankhänel, Andreas
ContributorsTechnische Universität Chemnitz, Mathematik, Prof. Dr. Horst Martini, Prof. Dr. Gunter Weiß
PublisherUniversitätsbibliothek Chemnitz
Source SetsHochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typedoc-type:doctoralThesis
Formatapplication/pdf, text/plain, application/zip

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