Modelling the Wall: The Mathematics of the Curves on the Wall of Colégio Arquidiocesano in Ouro Preto

Abstract

In this chapter, the authors share results initiating from a conversation during a walk along a street in Ouro Preto, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The simple observation of a common everyday phenomenon and its mathematical potential initiated a debate that turned the observation into an exploration of the mathematics inherent in a common architectural detail. There are many similar situations in any city that can easily be used to encourage conversation, develop models, and explore the relationships between mathematics, procedures, and practices developed by members of a community; in so doing, the authors of this chapter studied mathematical models of the curves along a brick wall and sought to verify if these curves were related to exponential, parabolic or catenary curves.