The problem of the body of revolution of minimal resistance
Newton's problem of the body of minimal aerodynamic resistance is traditionally stated in the class of axially symmetric bodies with fixed length and width. We state and solve the minimal resistance problem in the wider class of axially symmetric but bodies. The infimum in this problem is not attained. We construct a sequence of bodies minimizing the resistance. This sequence approximates a convex body with smooth front surface, while the surface of approximating bodies becomes more and more complicated....