The Sexy Witch

Tonight I met the witch of Maria Agnesi.

"The Witch of Maria Agnesi ((pronounced 'Anyesi')) is the curve defined as follows.

The Witch of Agnesi with labeled points

Starting with a fixed circle, a point O on the circle is chosen. For any other point A on the circle, the secant line OA is drawn. The point M is diametrically opposite O. The line OA intersects the tangent at M at the point N. The line parallel to OM through N, and the line perpendicular to OM through A intersect at P. As the point A is varied, the path of P is the witch.

The curve is asymptotic to the line tangent to the fixed circle through the point O." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_of_Agnesi)

And this is the woman for whom it was named.

"Maria Gaetana Agnesi (May 16, 1718 - January 9, 1799) was an Italian linguist, mathematician, and philosopher. Agnesi (pronounced 'Anyesi') is credited with writing the first book discussing both differential and integral calculus. She was an honorary member of the faculty at the University of Bologna. According to Dirk Jan Struik, Agnesi is "the first important woman mathematician since Hypatia (fifth century A.D.)". (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Gaetana_Agnesi)

How frickin hot is that! :)