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Lima Bean Curve


The name lima bean curve is used here for the quartic curve with polar equation

 r=a(sin^3theta+cos^3theta)
(1)

(Wassenaar). It is also given by the Cartesian equation

 (x^2+y^2)^2=a(x^3+y^3).
(2)

Replacing the right-hand side a(x^3+y^3) by ax(x^2+y^2) gives the distinct bean curve, a quartic curve that in its usual orientation is symmetric about the x-axis rather than the line y=x.

LimaBeanCurve

The left figure above shows the curve in its original orientation. The right figure shows the same curve after a counterclockwise rotation through pi/4. In this orientation, the curve lies in the y>=0 half-plane and is symmetric about the y-axis; its Cartesian equation is

 sqrt(2)(x^2+y^2)^2=ay(3x^2+y^2).
(3)

The parametric equations for the original polar curve are

x=acost(sin^3t+cos^3t)
(4)
y=asint(sin^3t+cos^3t).
(5)

For a>0, this curve has maximum values x_(max)=y_(max)=a and minimum values x_(min)=y_(min)=ar, where r=-0.28288... is the real root of 27-27r-288r^2+512r^3=0. The area enclosed by the curve is

A=5/(16)pia^2
(6)
=0.98174770...a^2
(7)

The digits in the numerical value are those of OEIS A244978 shifted one place, since 5pi/16=10(pi/32). The geometric centroid (x^_,y^_) of the interior is given by

x^_=3/(10)a
(8)
y^_=3/(10)a,
(9)

and the perimeter by

s=aint_0^pisqrt(1+3/2sin^2(2theta)-2sin^3(2theta))dtheta
(10)
=1/2aint_0^(2pi)sqrt(1+3/2sin^2x-2sin^3x)dx
(11)
=aint_(-1)^1sqrt((2+3y^2-4y^3)/(2(1-y^2)))dy.
(12)

This perimeter has a closed form in terms of a Lauricella function. Set

q=(1+sqrt(2))^(1/3)
(13)
z_0=4/3-2/3(q-1/q)
(14)
z_+=4/3+1/3(q-1/q)+i/(sqrt(3))(q+1/q)
(15)
z_-=z^__+.
(16)

Since |z_+|>1 and |z_-|>1, the defining series for F_D does not converge at these arguments. The required analytic continuation is specified by the following real integral. It is Euler-type because it is built from the beta integral kernel t^(-1/2)(1-t)^(-1/2):

 F_D^((3))(1/2;-1/2,-1/2,-1/2;1;z_0,z_+,z_-)=1/piint_0^1t^(-1/2)(1-t)^(-1/2)(1-z_0t)^(1/2)|1-z_+t|dt.
(17)

Therefore,

s=(3pia)/(sqrt(2))F_D^((3))(1/2;-1/2,-1/2,-1/2;1;z_0,z_+,z_-)
(18)
=3.931702798...a
(19)

(OEIS A336501; E. Weisstein, Aug. 27, 2026).

The area moment of inertia tensor of the interior is given by

 I=[(123pi)/(2048)a^4 -(9pi)/(1024)a^4; -(9pi)/(1024)a^4 (123pi)/(2048)a^4].
(20)

See also

Bean Curve, Limaçon

Explore with Wolfram|Alpha

References

Sloane, N. J. A. Sequences A244978 and A336501 in "The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences."Wassenaar, J. "Mathematical Curves: Bean Curve (1)." https://www.2dcurves.com/quartic/quarticbn.html.

Referenced on Wolfram|Alpha

Lima Bean Curve

Cite this as:

Weisstein, Eric W. "Lima Bean Curve." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/LimaBeanCurve.html

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