ABSTRACT
Abstract. T h e m o n o to n ic i ty p r o p e r t ie s o f t h e c u r v a tu r e o f a co n ic a r c a r e s tu d ie d . S u c h a n a r c c a n h a v e m o n o to n e c u r v a tu r e i f a n d o n ly i f t h e t a n g e n t tu r n s th r o u g h a n a n g le o f a t m o s t I t is f u r th e r sh o w n t h a t i f tw o c o n ic a r c s a r e jo in e d w i th c o n t in u o u s t a n g e n t d ir e c t io n a n d c u r v a tu r e , t h e n th e r e s u l t in g c u rv e c a n h a v e m o n o to n e c u r v a tu r e if a n d o n ly if t h e t a n g e n t t u r n s th r o u g h a t m o s t 7r. F in a l ly a n a lg o r i th m is g iv en fo r m in im is in g t h e n u m b e r o f lo c a l e x t r e m a o f c u r v a tu r e fo r a s e q u e n c e o f c o n ic a r c s w i th p r e s c r ib e d jo in -p o in ts a n d t a n g e n t s th e r e .
