Reasoning about linkages with dynamic geometry (Q2334575)

In this article, the authors exemplify how Automated Reasoning Tools (ART) based on symbolic computation can help towards the verification of the correctness of a linkage construction, as well as for finding a suitable modification on a given linkage for achieving a desired movement. The authors focus on dynamic geometry programs that are used as auxiliary tools for studying school geometry. In particular, they consider the new, and yet unexplored, capabilities for the design of linkages that have been introduced by the recent development of tools for automatic proving, derivation and discovery of geometric theorems in GeoGebra, \url{http://www.geogebra.org}. See for instance [\textit{F. Botana} et al., J. Autom. Reasoning 55, No. 1, 39--59 (2015; Zbl 1356.68181); \textit{M. Abánades} et al., ACM Commun. Comput. Algebra 50, No. 3, 85--88 (2016; Zbl 1365.68431)]. Through different examples, the authors describe some on-going work exhibiting the potential of GeoGebra ART for studying mechanical linkages. In particular, for obtaining the automatic derivation of the tracer locus equation, for the rigorous verification of the performance of a given linkage and for helping discovering some suitable modification required on a linkage for yielding a concrete trajectory. As the examples show, these tasks are well supported by GeoGebra tools and performing for non-trivial linkages. However, studying some more sophisticated linkages may result, sometimes, in too heavy computations.