Hyperbolic Slot

The double curve cut into the acrylic board is an example of a “hyperbola”. Two parts of a hyperbola are formed when a pair of cones, joined at their tips, is intersected by a plane parallel to the axes of the cone.
In this exhibit, the stick traces out the surface of the pair of cones, while the acrylic board acts as the plane intersecting the cones. The slot was cut to follow the exact path of the hyperbolic intersection.