Xah Talk Show 2026-07-05 Ep803. Math function, sinh, in JavaScript, Wolfram language
Video Summary (Generated by AI, Edited by Human.)
In this video, Xah Lee explores mathematical functions, specifically focusing on hyperbolic functions like sinh, cosh, and tanh, and how they are implemented and visualized in JavaScript and the Wolfram Language (0:02-1:12:17).
Key themes and activities include:
Mathematical Exploration: The host discusses the origins and properties of hyperbolic functions, comparing them to standard trigonometric functions (16:25-19:51). He utilizes the Wolfram Language to generate plots, such as the catenary curve (the shape formed by a hanging chain), and touches on the mathematical relationship between exponential curves and catenaries (11:46-16:07, 27:39-31:26).
Website Maintenance and Coding: A significant portion of the video is dedicated to live-coding tasks using Emacs to update his long-running website, Visual Dictionary of Special Plane Curves. He demonstrates:
Using keyboard macros to efficiently add H2 headers to existing content (44:00-46:30).
Formatting and refining his book recommendation sections, including replacing star symbols with thumbs-up icons for better readability (33:30-34:53).
Cleaning up old code and images (21:14-22:15, 47:00-49:15).
Tools and Resources: Throughout the session, the host emphasizes the shift from using traditional books (like A Book of Curves by Lockwood) to relying on modern tools like Wikipedia and AI for quick, comprehensive information (17:59-20:25, 32:46-33:02).
Note: While the host intended to cover JavaScript implementation details for various math functions, much of the video remained focused on Wolfram Language plots and Emacs editing workflows (1:10:02-1:11:24).
- Catenary
- Visual Dictionary of Special Plane Curves
- JS: Math hyperbolic functions. sinh, cosh, tanh, etc.
