Interesting facts about euclid geometry book

Enjoy a range of facts and information about brilliant mathematicians such as pythagoras, euclid, pierre fermat, blaise pascal, leonhard euler, carl friedrich gauss, alan turing and more. This is a good book and a class using it can be excellent, even if youre not wild about math which im not. Older books sometimes confuse him with euclid of megara. Euclids elements of geometry university of texas at austin. The first three books of euclid s elements of geometry from the text of dr. Fun facts about euclid for kids easy science for kids. It goes over his five postulates that are the bases of all geometry. Dec 15, 2014 euclid was a great mathematician who trained students in alexandria about 300. It is in fact possible to create a valid geometry without the fifth postulate entirely, or with different versions of the fifth postulate elliptic geometry. The elements was written by the ancient greek mathematician euclid euclid, sometimes called euclid of alexandria, lived roughly from 325 to 270. This biography profiles his childhood, life, works, achievements and timeline. It is sometimes said that, other than the bible, the elements is the most translated, published, and studied of all the books produced in the western world. He shouldnt rate the book two stars because he would rather study geometry with a modern text.

The life of euclid, however, was already quite interesting and saturated. The book synthesized earlier knowledge about geometry, and was used for centuries in western europe as a geometry textbook. The main subjects of the work are geometry, proportion, and. It is one of the oldest branches of mathematics, having arisen in response to such practical problems as those found in surveying, and its name is derived from greek words meaning earth measurement. In its rough outline, euclidean geometry is the plane and solid geometry commonly taught in secondary schools. For those of us including myself who are not so mathematically inclined to understand the nittygritty details of euclid s elements, sir thomas heath sums them up in his. Euclid s elements of geometry euclid s elements is by far the most famous mathematical work of classical antiquity, and also has the distinction of being the worlds oldest continuously used mathematical textbook. Turning the black fabric cover, i found rows of equations and diagrams of primitive geometry continuing across every page of the fivecentimeterthick volume.

What are some interesting facts about euclid mathematician. Book 6 applies the theory of proportion to plane geometry, and contains theorems on similar. The set has volumes, or sections, and has been printed often as physical books numbered ixiii, rather than one large book. Although many of euclid s results had been stated by earlier mathematicians, euclid was. His textbook elements remained a highly influential mathematics teaching book until the late 19th century and is one of the most widely published books in the world.

Fact 2 euclid was working in alexandria during the rule of ptolemy i 323283 bc. With it, geometry recovered the computational powers it had lost when separated from arithmetic, and the road was opened for rigorously conceiving and handling physical quantities of all sorts. Euclid provided the basic model for mathematical argument that follows logical deductions from initial assumptions. Euclid s elements is one of the most important books when it comes to geometry. The oldest extant major mathematical work in the western world, it set a standard for logical exposition for over 2,000 years. Stoicheia is a mathematical treatise consisting of books attributed to the ancient greek mathematician euclid in alexandria, ptolemaic egypt c.

From the time it was written it was regarded as an extraordinary work and was studied by all mathematicians, even the greatest. This is the first video in a series which will explain the basics of euclid s elements of geometry. If in a circle two straight lines cut one another, then the rectangle contained by the segments of the one equals the. May 29, 2012 for more than 2000 years, euclids text, which was volumes long, was the book that introduced all schoolchildren to geometry. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading euclid s window. In fact, the need is even more stringent than ever. Geometry, the branch of mathematics concerned with the shape of individual objects, spatial relationships among various objects, and the properties of surrounding space. No other book except the bible has been so widely translated and circulated.

Albert einstein recalled a copy of the elements and a magnetic compass as two gifts that had a great influence on him as a boy, referring to the euclid as the holy little geometry book. Euclid authored the elements, the most famous and most published mathematical work in history. Book 10 deals with the theory of irrational numbers and is mainly the work of theaetetus. Its a book that heavily deals with logic and shapes. His theory of light was the basis of artistic perspective, astronomical methods, and navigation methods for more than two thousand years. In addition to his brilliant contributions to linear and planar geometry, euclid wrote about number theory, rigor, perspective, conical geometry, and spherical geometry. He also wrote a collection of geometrical theorems named as elements. Book 9 contains various applications of results in the previous two books, and includes theorems. Euclids elements by euclid meet your next favorite book. Each proposition falls out of the last in perfect logical progression.

This book is very important when it comes to the fundamentals of geometry. Euclidean geometry is a classical branch of mathematics that refers to euclid s books the elements which contained a systematic approach to geometry that influenced mathematics for centuries. Euclid changed the proofs of several theorems in this book so that they fitted the new definition of proportion given by eudoxus. Its beauty lies in its logical development of geometry and other branches of mathematics. The tenth book aplies the theory of the fifth book to geometry and contains the theory of the incomensurables. The text began with definitions, postulates euclid s postulates, and common opinions, then proceeded to obtain results by rigorous geometric proof. A thorough knowledge of geometry is absolutely necessary for computer graphics and writing structural geology programs on a computer. The books cover plane and solid euclidean geometry. The elements is concerned mainly with geometry, proportion, and number theory. This ancient philosopher and mathematician, who lived in the third weight of bc, made a truly invaluable contribution to the development of exact sciences, and not without reason modern geometry is called euclidean. Euclid s method consists in assuming a small set of intuitively appealing axioms, and deducing many other propositions from these. He was active in alexandria during the reign of ptolemy i 323283 bc.

Euclidis elements, by far his most famous and important work, is a. List of books and articles about euclid online research. Despite the rudimentary state of many sciences at the time, this man was able to take a new look at the concept of space and largely laid the foundations of modern mathematics. Euclidean geometry, the study of plane and solid figures on the basis of axioms and theorems employed by the greek mathematician euclid c. This treatise is unequaled in the history of science and could safely lay claim to being the most influential nonreligious book of all time. Euclids elements form one of the most beautiful and influential works of science in the history of humankind. A collection of quotes and sayings by euclid on gain, threepence, mathematical, thoughts, lincoln, geometry, royal, road, proof, denied, fun facts and elements. It has influenced all branches of science but none so much as mathematics and the exact sciences. Although little is known about his early and personal life, he went on to contribute greatly in the field of mathematics and came to known as the. His elements is one of the most powerful works in the history of mathematics, considered the chief textbook for mathematics particularly geometry from the time.

In fact, eudoxus work is the basis for books v and xii of the elements kline 57. Textbooks based on euclid have been used up to the present day. Jan, who included the book under euclid s name in his musici scriptores graeci, takes the view that it was a summary of a longer work by euclid himself. The elements consisted of five general axioms and five geometrical postulates. Euclid lived around the years of 300bc and because of his contribution, he is known as father of geometry.

In the book, he starts out from a small set of axioms that is, a group of things that everyone thinks are true. The story of geometry from parallel lines to hyperspace kindle edition by mlodinow, leonard. Euclid explained lights behavior using geometrical principles he had developed in the elements. It is a collection of definitions, postulates, propositions theorems and constructions, and mathematical proofs of the propositions. Classical problems in euclidean geometry motivated the development of plenty of. His most famous work elements is presumed to have been very highly valued in his. Who wrote the famous book on geometry called the elements.

Find interesting facts and information related to works produced by the ancient egyptians, babylonians, greeks and other famous mathematicians. Fact 1 euclid of alexandria is often called the father of geometry. In the book, he starts out from a small set of axioms that is, a group of things that. Modern economics has been called a series of footnotes to adam smith, who was. He is famous for the treatise elements, one of the most influential works in the history of mathematics, which served as the main textbook for. Euclid gathered up all of the knowledge developed in greek mathematics at that time and created his great work, a book called the elements c300 bce. In book 11, the basic definitions needed for the 3 books together are given.

The book data discusses plane geometry and contains propositions problems to be demonstrated in which certain data are given about a figure and from which other data can be figured out. Book 4 is concerned with regular polygons inscribed in, and circumscribed around, circles. It has had a lasting influence on the sciences, especially in mathematics. He wrote the elements, the most widely used mathematics and geometry textbook in history. Well, euclid of alexandria, a greek mathematician is the reason for it all. He later defined a prime as a number measured by a unit alone i.

Euclid was a greek mathematician who became famous as the father of geometry. The elements is a mathematical treatise consisting of books attributed to the ancient greek. The author of this book profiles 60 famous mathematicians who were born between 1700 and 1910 and provides insight into their. Euclid of alexandria was an ancient greek mathematician, who is regarded as the father of geometry. He began book vii of his elements by defining a number as a multitude composed of units. To kick things off, here is a very brief summary provided by wikipedia and myself.

Euclid s on division, also dealing with plane geometry, is concerned with more. It is not even known for certain whether he was a creative mathematician. Euclid, the most prominent mathematician of grecoroman antiquity, best known for his geometry book, the elements. Euclid of alexandria and his contributions to geometry.

Stoicheia is a large set of math books about geometry, written by the ancient greek mathematician. Euclid biography history, son, book, information, born, time. But eudoxuss chief contribution to geometry was his theory of proportions, preserved in book 5 of euclid s elements. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Archimedes 10 facts on the ancient greek mathematician. For more than 2000 years, euclid s text, which was volumes long, was the book that introduced all schoolchildren to geometry. Euclid was a greek mathematician known for his contributions to geometry. Enormously influential in mathematics teaching for over two thousand years, the elements provided the spark that inspired many of the worlds greatest mathematicians and scientists to. It is divided into different books and still considered as one of the most prominent. Mathematician euclidean geometry, euclid s elements and euclidean algorithm. A highschool drafting course would be enough geometrical bac. It served as a prescribed textbook for teaching mathematics from its publication till. Euclid s other works some of euclid s other works are known only because other writers have mentioned them.

Euclid was a greek mathematician, sometimes called euclid of alexandria, and was often described as the father of geometry. Euclids optics was an immensely influential book on light and vision. Jan, who included the book under euclids name in his musici scriptores graeci, takes the view that it was a summary of a longer work by euclid himself. Little is known of his life other than the fact that he taught at alexandria, being associated with the school that grew up there in the late 4th cent. Known as the founder of geometry, he has remained one of the most influential mathematicians in history. He was active in alexandria during the reign of ptolemy. Euclidean geometry is a mathematical system attributed to alexandrian greek mathematician euclid, which he described in his textbook on geometry. He was also known as euclid of alexandria, where he founded a school over. Book 3 investigates circles and their properties, and includes theorems on tangents and inscribed angles. Little is known about the author, beyond the fact that he lived in alexandria around 300 bce. Euclid was a great mathematician who trained students in alexandria about 300.

Euclid was a renowned greek mathematician, known as the father of geometry. By contrast, euclid presented number theory without the flourishes. Euclid s elements is one of the most beautiful books in western thought. His elements is the main source of ancient geometry. Euclid mathematician biography, contributions and facts.

He even wrote the first book about geometry called the elements, where he wrote down basic geometric ideas that still. Dec 12, 2006 the book synthesized earlier knowledge about geometry, and was used for centuries in western europe as a geometry textbook. He is famous for the treatise elements, one of the most influential works in the history of mathematics, which served as the main textbook for teaching mathematics. The story of geometry from parallel lines to hyperspace. Bc he is famous for his elements, a presentation in thirteen books of the geometry and other mathematics known in his day. It says in the description that the book was written for those who want to study euclid. Popular geometry books showing 150 of 786 flatland. Fact 3 his elements is one of the most powerful works in the history of mathematics, considered the chief textbook for mathematics particularly geometry from the time of its creation till the late 19th or early 20th century. He was often referred to as euclid of alexandria as there was euclid of megara. Interesting facts about euclid questions and answers. Book 5 develops the arithmetic theory of proportion.