History Topic: The Brachistichrone Problem - http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/PrintHT/Brachistochrone.html
This problem was posed by Johann Bernoulli in 1696 and several mathematicians rose to the challenge. |
Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Mechanics - http://www.mathpages.com/home/kmath523/kmath523.htm
A detailed introduction to the basic features and mathematical formalisms involved. |
Lagrangians and Hamiltonians for High School Students - http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0004029
A discussion of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics is presented at a level which should be suitable for advanced high school students. |
The Principle of Least Action - http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~gleeson/httb/chapter1_3_6.html
A brief review of the mathematics and physics involved in the principle of least action. |