My project looked into the history behind the contour plot. To illustrate what a contour plot is, I used Mathematica’s Contourplot and Contourplot3D functions. Prior to the first recorded use of contour lines in mathematics, many sailors had created their own contour lines on maps as they explored without understanding the math behind it. One of the first recorded usages of contour lines mathematically was in the Schiehallion Experiment by a mathematician named Charles Hutton. It was created with the intention of discovering the Earth’s mean density. To do this they were going to measure the small deflection of the vertical due to the gravitational attraction of a nearby mountain. In order to do this they had to find the volume of the mountain.
Next, I wanted to look into how we utilize contour lines in everyday math and science. Today, we use contour lines for visualizing ocean terrain, tracking temperature, salinity, and acidity, and environmental polluters. Contour lines are also used in solar sciences to show travel time, cost, and routes.
