A mathematical curve formed by a chain or rope hanging under its own weight between two fixed points.
From Medieval Latin catenaria (relating to a chain), from catena (chain). The mathematical form was formally analyzed in the 1600s by physicists solving the 'hanging chain problem.'
Architects discovered that catenary arches are structurally stronger than semicircular arches—this is why the St. Louis Gateway Arch is built as an inverted catenary, making it both beautiful and more stable than traditional arch designs.
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