The Gudermannian Bridge: From Maps to Machines

Intellectually Curious

We journey through the Gudermannian (often called Gutermannian) function, the elegant link that ties circular angles to hyperbolic angles without complex numbers. We explore how its antiderivative is the hyperbolic secant, while its inverse comes from the circular secant, and why this makes the function a natural bridge between two geometries. We'll trace its history—from Lambert’s transcendent angle to Mercator’s meridional part and the stereographic projection that underpins map projections—uncovering simple identities like tan(phi/2) = tanh(psi/2) and why they matter. Beyond theory, we see how this ancient idea surfaces in modern tech and science: as a sigmoid-like activation in neural networks and as a model for spiral galaxy arms. Finally, we reflect on how centuries-old math quietly underpins today’s AI and astrophysical models, inviting us to look for other hidden connections in the tools we rely on.

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