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Introduction to Euclid's Geometry

Euclid's work on geometry defines fundamental concepts such as points, lines, surfaces, and solids, illustrating the progression from three-dimensional solids to zero-dimensional points. He established 23 definitions in his 'Elements' and introduced axioms and postulates as foundational assumptions in geometry and mathematics. Axioms are universal truths applicable across mathematics, while postulates are specific to geometry, guiding the understanding of relationships between geometric entities.

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44 views

Introduction to Euclid's Geometry

Euclid's work on geometry defines fundamental concepts such as points, lines, surfaces, and solids, illustrating the progression from three-dimensional solids to zero-dimensional points. He established 23 definitions in his 'Elements' and introduced axioms and postulates as foundational assumptions in geometry and mathematics. Axioms are universal truths applicable across mathematics, while postulates are specific to geometry, guiding the understanding of relationships between geometric entities.

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aria.dhakade
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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5.

2 Euclid’s Definitions, Axioms and Postulates

The Greek mathematicians of Euclid’s time thought of geometry as an abstract model of the
world in which they lived. The notions of point, line, plane (or surface) and so on were
derived from what was seen around them. From studies of the space and solids in the space
around them, an abstract geometrical notion of a solid object was developed. A solid has
shape, size, position, and can be moved from one place to another. Its boundaries are called
surfaces. They separate one part of the space from another, and are said to have no thickness.
The boundaries of the surfaces are curves or straight lines. These lines end in points.

Consider the three steps from solids to points (solids-surfaces-lines-points). In each step we
lose one extension, also called a dimension. So, a solid has three dimensions, a surface has
two, a line has one and a point has none. Euclid summarised these statements as definitions.
He began his exposition by listing 23 definitions in Book 1 of the ‘Elements’. A few of them
are given below :

1. A point is that which has no part.


2. A line is breadthless length.
3. The ends of a line are points.
4. A straight line is a line which lies evenly with the points on itself.
5. A surface is that which has length and breadth only.
6. The edges of a surface are lines.
7. A plane surface is a surface which lies evenly with the straight lines on itself.

Starting with his definitions, Euclid assumed certain properties, which were not to be proved.
These assumptions are actually ‘obvious universal truths’. He divided them into two types:
axioms and postulates. He used the term ‘postulate’ for the assumptions that were specific to
geometry. Common notions (often called axioms), on the other hand, were assumptions used
throughout mathematics and not specifically linked to geometry. For details about axioms
and postulates, refer to Appendix 1. Some of Euclid’s axioms, not in his order, are given
below :

1. Things which are equal to the same thing are equal to one another.
2. If equals are added to equals, the wholes are equal.
3. If equals are subtracted from equals, the remainders are equal.
4. Things which coincide with one another are equal to one another.
5. The whole is greater than the part.
6. Things which are double of the same things are equal to one another.
7. Things which are halves of the same things are equal to one another.

These ‘common notions’ refer to magnitudes of some kind. The first common notion could
be applied to plane figures. For example, if an area of a triangle equals the area of a rectangle
and the area of the rectangle equals that of a square, then the area of the triangle also equals
the area of the square.

Textbook : https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/iemh105.pdf

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