Knots - Maple Help
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Examples of Knots

The following example worksheet shows various examples of knots visualized using the plots:-tubeplot and algcurves:-plot_knot commands.

Unknot

The unknot can be defined by the following parametric equations:

plots:-tubeplot([cos(t),sin(t),0,t=0..2*Pi],
   radius=0.2,axes=none,color="Blue",orientation=[60,60],scaling=constrained,style=surfacecontour);

The Trefoil Knot

The trefoil knot can be defined by the following parametric equations:

plots:-tubeplot([sin(t)+2*sin(2*t),cos(t)-2*cos(2*t),-sin(3*t),t= 0..2*Pi],
   radius=0.2,axes=none,color="Green",orientation=[90,0],style=surface);

The Figure-Eight Knot

The figure-eight can be defined by the following parametric equations:

plots:-tubeplot([(2+cos(2*t))*cos(3*t),(2+cos(2*t))*sin(3*t),sin(4*t),t=0..2*Pi],
   numpoints=100,radius=0.1,axes=none,color="Red",orientation=[75,30,0],style=surface);

The Lissajous Knot

The Lissajous knot can be defined by the following parametric equations:

Where , , and  are integers and the phase shifts , , and  are any real numbers.

The 8 21 knot (, , and ) appears as follows:

plots:-tubeplot([cos(3*t+Pi/2),cos(4*t+Pi/2),cos(7*t),t=0..2*Pi],
   radius=0.05,axes=none,color="Brown",orientation=[90,0,0],style=surface);

Star Knot

A star knot can be defined by using the following polynomial:

f := -x^5+y^2;

(1)

algcurves:-plot_knot(f,x,y,epsilon=0.7,
   radius=0.25,tubepoints=10,axes=none,color="Orange",orientation=[60,0],style=surfacecontour);


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