The Shock‐Wave Cubic: Presentation of an Equation which Permits the Solution of Shock‐Wave Problems without Tables Available to Purchase

The inverse problem of finding the shock‐wave angle when a supersonic stream passes round a bend of (180°—i°) involves a double interpolation from tables prepared for the direct problem. This may be avoided by reducing the problem to the solution of a cubic equation. Most of the phenomena associated with oblique shock waves can be deduced from this cubic equation.