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Easy Mathematics and Lawn Tennis
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 November 2016
Extract
In view of the popular appeal of Lawn Tennis, and of the fact that a large number of professional mathematicians depend upon this game for much of their recreation, it seems strange that no one has pointed out that a good deal may be learned (as to suitable tactics) by applying a few quite simple principles of dynamics and geometry to the game.
- Type
- 4. Miscellany
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © Mathematical Association 1971
References
* The players are supposed also to be right-handed: the necessary modifications due to one or two left-handed players can be easily introduced, but no new ideas are involved.
† Accurately 78 feet; but exact figures are not very valuable here.
* In actual play, the flight is modified a good deal by “cut” and “top-spin.” The former is a very important feature in Court-Tennis, and consequently figured largely in the early days of lawn-tennis—in modern good fast play, “cut” is almost non-existent. “Top-spin” on the other hand may be seen often, but its effect is too complicated to be considered here.
* In what is usually called “smashing” the ball will be hit at a height of 6 or 7 feet: here we have used the phrase smash as a conveniently short phrase to distinguish the two types of stroke.