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Geometry One

The history of geometry spans from ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Babylonians, who utilized practical geometry for surveying and construction, to the Greeks, who formalized geometry through logical rules, notably in Euclid's 'The Elements'. The fifth postulate controversy highlights the distinction between postulates and theorems in geometry, with implications lasting until the 1800s. Today, geometry is applied in various fields including construction, engineering, and art.

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6 views

Geometry One

The history of geometry spans from ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Babylonians, who utilized practical geometry for surveying and construction, to the Greeks, who formalized geometry through logical rules, notably in Euclid's 'The Elements'. The fifth postulate controversy highlights the distinction between postulates and theorems in geometry, with implications lasting until the 1800s. Today, geometry is applied in various fields including construction, engineering, and art.

Uploaded by

Eugene
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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HISTORY OF GEOMETRY

Egyptians c.2000-500 B.C


Ancient Egyptians demonsrated a practical knowledge of geometry through surveying and
construction projects .The Nile River overflowed its banks every year,and the river banks
would have to be re-surveyed .See a PBS Nova unit on those big pointy buildings.In the
Rhind ,Papyrus pi is approximated.

Babylonians c. 2000-500 B.C.


Ancient clay tablets reveal that the Babylonians knew the Pythagorean relationships.One
clay tablet reads”4 is the length and 5 is the diagonal.What is the breadth?Its size is not
known.4 times 4 is 16 .5 times 5 is 25.You take 16 from 25 and there remains 9 .What times
shall I takein order to get 9?3 times 3 is 9.3 is the breadth”.

Greeks c. 750-250 B.C.


Ancient Greeks practiced centuries of experimental geometry like Egypt and Babylonian had,
and they absorbed the experimental geometry of both of those cultures .Then they created
the first formal mathematics of any kind by organizing geometry with rules of logic .Euclid`s
(400BC) important geometry book The Elements formed the basis for most of the geometry
studied in schools ever since.

The Fifth Postulate Controversy c. 400 B.C. -1800 A.D.


There are two types of mathematical (including geometric) rules : postulates
(also called axioms), ad theorems.Postulates are basic assumptions –rules that seem
to be obvious and are therefore accepted without proof . Theorems are rules that must
be proved. Euclid gave five postulates .The fifth postulate reads: Given a line and a point
not on the line ,it is possible to draw exactly one line through the given point parallel to the
line .

Geometry Today
Today geometry has a wide range of applications .Amongst the applications it is used for
includes:Buildig and construction,Mechanical plant engineering ,Art and design .For
example, the drawings below have been reproduced using geometry .

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