Blaise Pascal believed that thoughts of this curve cured his toothache, leading him to publish a prize for those who could find the area, volume, and center of gravity of this curve. To create better chronometers, Christiaan Hyguens developed a pendulum whose pivot was placed inside of this curve and whose bob traced out a path that was also this curve. This curve was the result of a proof by Isaac Newton that was recognized "from his claw mark," of an "indirect method" devised by Johann Bernoulli that relied on Fermat's Principle. A track in the shape of this curve provides the fastest descent for an object frictionlessly sliding down it, so this curve is the solution of the brachistochrone problem. For 10 points, name this curve formed by a point on a rolling circle. ■END■
ANSWER: cycloid [prompt on brachistochrone curve before "brachistochrone" is read]
<Lalit Maharjan , Science - Other/CL/Misc>
= Average correct buzz position