Minimal Paths on Some Simple Surfaces with Singularities

Abstract

Given two points on a soup can or conical cup with lid, we find and classify all paths of minimal length connecting them. When the number of minimal paths is finite, there are at most four on a can and three on a cup. At worst, minimal paths are piece-wise smooth with three components, each of which is a classical geodesic. Minimal paths are geodesics in the sense of Banchoff.