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A long time ago when I was in college I read about making a spiral out of right triangles with sides 1 and $\sqrt{N}$. (A google search seems to indicate that this is called the Spiral of Theodorus.)

Spiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg/400px-Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg.pngSpiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles

I spent a long time trying to prove that the series of points approximated a spiral $R = K\theta + \varphi$, by trying to show the limit of the difference $\varphi = \sqrt{N+1} - K \sum_{i=1}^N \arctan(1/\sqrt{i})$ existed for some $K$. I think I managed to do it but it was confusing and can't find my papers. (and I'm still an amateur mathematician!)

Is this a known problem, and is there a closed-form solution to $K$ and $\varphi$?

A long time ago when I was in college I read about making a spiral out of right triangles with sides 1 and $\sqrt{N}$. (A google search seems to indicate that this is called the Spiral of Theodorus.)

Spiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg/400px-Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg.png

I spent a long time trying to prove that the series of points approximated a spiral $R = K\theta + \varphi$, by trying to show the limit of the difference $\varphi = \sqrt{N+1} - K \sum_{i=1}^N \arctan(1/\sqrt{i})$ existed for some $K$. I think I managed to do it but it was confusing and can't find my papers. (and I'm still an amateur mathematician!)

Is this a known problem, and is there a closed-form solution to $K$ and $\varphi$?

A long time ago when I was in college I read about making a spiral out of right triangles with sides 1 and $\sqrt{N}$. (A google search seems to indicate that this is called the Spiral of Theodorus.)

Spiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles

I spent a long time trying to prove that the series of points approximated a spiral $R = K\theta + \varphi$, by trying to show the limit of the difference $\varphi = \sqrt{N+1} - K \sum_{i=1}^N \arctan(1/\sqrt{i})$ existed for some $K$. I think I managed to do it but it was confusing and can't find my papers. (and I'm still an amateur mathematician!)

Is this a known problem, and is there a closed-form solution to $K$ and $\varphi$?

corrected sum (from my previous edit - sorry)
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Ricardo Andrade
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A long time ago when I was in college I read about making a spiral out of right triangles with sides 1 and $\sqrt{N}$. (A google search seems to indicate that this is called the Spiral of Theodorus.)

Spiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg/400px-Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg.png

I spent a long time trying to prove that the series of points approximated a spiral $R = K\theta + \varphi$, by trying to show the limit of the difference $\varphi = \sqrt{N+1} - K \sum_{i=1}^N \arctan(1/\sqrt{N})$$\varphi = \sqrt{N+1} - K \sum_{i=1}^N \arctan(1/\sqrt{i})$ existed for some $K$. I think I managed to do it but it was confusing and can't find my papers. (and I'm still an amateur mathematician!)

Is this a known problem, and is there a closed-form solution to $K$ and $\varphi$?

A long time ago when I was in college I read about making a spiral out of right triangles with sides 1 and $\sqrt{N}$. (A google search seems to indicate that this is called the Spiral of Theodorus.)

Spiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg/400px-Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg.png

I spent a long time trying to prove that the series of points approximated a spiral $R = K\theta + \varphi$, by trying to show the limit of the difference $\varphi = \sqrt{N+1} - K \sum_{i=1}^N \arctan(1/\sqrt{N})$ existed for some $K$. I think I managed to do it but it was confusing and can't find my papers. (and I'm still an amateur mathematician!)

Is this a known problem, and is there a closed-form solution to $K$ and $\varphi$?

A long time ago when I was in college I read about making a spiral out of right triangles with sides 1 and $\sqrt{N}$. (A google search seems to indicate that this is called the Spiral of Theodorus.)

Spiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg/400px-Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg.png

I spent a long time trying to prove that the series of points approximated a spiral $R = K\theta + \varphi$, by trying to show the limit of the difference $\varphi = \sqrt{N+1} - K \sum_{i=1}^N \arctan(1/\sqrt{i})$ existed for some $K$. I think I managed to do it but it was confusing and can't find my papers. (and I'm still an amateur mathematician!)

Is this a known problem, and is there a closed-form solution to $K$ and $\varphi$?

replaced deprecated tag 'geometry' (since question was bumped to the front page); added mathjax to correctly (and easily) express sum
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Ricardo Andrade
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A long time ago when I was in college I read about making a spiral out of right triangles with sides 1 and sqrt(N)$\sqrt{N}$. (A google search seems to indicate that this is called the Spiral of Theodorus.)

Spiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg/400px-Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg.png

I spent a long time trying to prove that the series of points approximated a spiral R = Kθ + φ$R = K\theta + \varphi$, by trying to show the limit of the difference φ = sqrt(N+1) - K*sum(atan(1/sqrt(N)) existed$\varphi = \sqrt{N+1} - K \sum_{i=1}^N \arctan(1/\sqrt{N})$ existed for some K$K$. I think I managed to do it but it was confusing and can't find my papers. (and I'm still an amateur mathematician!)

Is this a known problem, and is there a closed-form solution to K$K$ and φ$\varphi$?

A long time ago when I was in college I read about making a spiral out of right triangles with sides 1 and sqrt(N). (A google search seems to indicate that this is called the Spiral of Theodorus.)

Spiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg/400px-Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg.png

I spent a long time trying to prove that the series of points approximated a spiral R = Kθ + φ, by trying to show the limit of the difference φ = sqrt(N+1) - K*sum(atan(1/sqrt(N)) existed for some K. I think I managed to do it but it was confusing and can't find my papers. (and I'm still an amateur mathematician!)

Is this a known problem, and is there a closed-form solution to K and φ?

A long time ago when I was in college I read about making a spiral out of right triangles with sides 1 and $\sqrt{N}$. (A google search seems to indicate that this is called the Spiral of Theodorus.)

Spiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg/400px-Spiral_of_Theodorus.svg.png

I spent a long time trying to prove that the series of points approximated a spiral $R = K\theta + \varphi$, by trying to show the limit of the difference $\varphi = \sqrt{N+1} - K \sum_{i=1}^N \arctan(1/\sqrt{N})$ existed for some $K$. I think I managed to do it but it was confusing and can't find my papers. (and I'm still an amateur mathematician!)

Is this a known problem, and is there a closed-form solution to $K$ and $\varphi$?

replaced deprecated tag 'geometry' (since question was bumped to the front page)
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Ricardo Andrade
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Jason S
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Michael Lugo
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Jason S
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