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Questions on the calculus of variations, which deals with the optimization of functionals mostly defined on infinite dimensional spaces.

16 votes
Accepted

Smallest area shape that covers all unit length curve

Whereas I don't know of any recent progress in this problem, let me mention one result for closed curves. Theorem. A closed plane curve of length $L$ and curvature bounded by $K$ can be contained …
Andrey Rekalo's user avatar
25 votes
Accepted

What was Weierstrass's counterexample to the Dirichlet Principle?

Weierstrass simply observed that not every problem in the calculus of variations would have a solution. He considered the example $$D[y]=\int_{-1}^{1}x^2\left(\frac{d y}{dx}\right)^2dx\to \min,$$ wher …
Andrey Rekalo's user avatar
17 votes
Accepted

Surface equivalent of catenary curve

A model equation for an inextensible, flexible, heavy surface in a gravitational field was deduced by Poisson Lagrange and later the problem was also studied by Poisson (see the references in the link …
Andrey Rekalo's user avatar