[Math] showing that two surface is isometric

differential-geometry

I tried to show that a parametrized surface $S$ in $\mathbb{R}^3$ given by $(u, v)$ ->$(u, v, u^2)$ is isometric to the flat plane.

At first, I found their first fundamental form, but they are different.

(I choose a surface patch defined by $(u, v)$ -> u$\mathbb{q}$ + v$\mathbb{p}$ where $\mathbb{p}$ and $\mathbb{q}$ are perpendicular and both unit vectors.)

In presseley's text, there is a theorem following that two surface are local isometric if and only if they have the same first fundamental form.
So I concluded that they are not isometric

How can I show that?

Best Answer

Let $E$ be the plane defined by $z=0$. In your case you may consider $f\colon R\to R$ defined by $$f(x)=-\frac{1}{4}\left(\ln(-2x+\sqrt{1+4x^2})-2x\sqrt{1+4x^2}\right).$$ Verify that $f'(x)=\sqrt{1+4x^2}$. Define $\phi\colon S\to E$, $\phi(u,v,u^2):=\bigl(f(u),v,0\bigr)$. It's easy to verify that $\phi$ is an isometry; check the FFFs.

I've constructed $f$ in an obvious way.

Edit (much later): The construction of $f$ is obvious since the FFF of the given map is $$\begin{pmatrix}1+4u^2& 0\\ 0&1\end{pmatrix}.$$