Talk:Infinite-dimensional optimization

Minimizing the area of a surface connecting two parallel circles

The optimized surface for two parallel circles would be a cylinder, either right or oblique. Here's a paper that demonstrates this well: http://math.rice.edu/~zhmeng/SkewedCylinder.pdf

That paper you are referring to is assuming that the horizontal crosssections have constant area, so that's a different problem. Oleg Alexandrov (talk) 14:58, 31 May 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Ah you're right. What then, is the surface of minimal area that would enclose two parallel circles? It must have a name. Or an equation.