document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=34889>Question 34889</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> if you hang a cable (like a suspension bridge) between two points, it may look like a parabola but it is not.  What is the equation of a cable suspended between two points? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #21131 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Earlsdon><B>Earlsdon(6294)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Earlsdon><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=21131\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The curve is known as a Catenary (derived from the Latin for \"chain\") and its formula is:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y+=+a%2Acosh%28x%2Fa%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y+=+a%2Acosh%28x%2Fa%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > This is a hyperbolic function.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "\"The catenary is the locus of the focus of a parabola rolling along a straight line.\" </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );