Math

Introduction

Before 300 BC , geometric statements , postulates , and theorems were still unknown . The statement such as A straight line can be drawn between any two points ' is a known fact in this modern time and such statement is the first postulate in the Elements , the book written by Euclid of Alexandria , the great Greek mathematician . This will briefly discuss the life of Euclid and his great contribution to geometry

Life of Euclid

Although Euclid 's exact date and place of birth was not documented , his contribution in the field of

mathematics has made him known as the father of geometry . Euclid lived around 300 B .C . in Greece . An Arabian author , al-Qifti , recorded that Euclid 's father was Naucrates and his grandfather was Zenarchus , that Euclid was a Greek , born in Tyre and lived in Damascus but there is no real proof that this is the same Euclid because another man named Euclid of Megara , a philosopher who lived at the time of Plato , is often confused with Euclid of Alexandria (Page , 2007 . Most historians are certain that Euclid was either Greek or Egyptian (World of Mathematics , 2006

Euclid acquired his education in Athens , Greece at Plato 's Academy where most of the accomplished geometers of Euclid 's time studied (ibid . According to Proclus (419-485 A .D , Euclid came after the first pupils of Plato , lived during the reign of Ptolemy I in 306 to 283 B .C . and established his mathematical school in Alexandria (Blumka VanAtta , 1998 . At his school , he taught Archimedes , the student who later became one of the greatest mathematicians . There are also researches that show that Euclid has taught mathematics in Alexandria Egypt at the great library at Alexandria which is known as the Museum (Page , 2007 . The Museum , built by Ptolemy , was considered as the house of the muses which is devoted to arts and sciences where many scholars worked and taught

Euclid was a kind , just and patient teacher . When a pupil who just finished his first geometry lesson asked what he would gain from learning geometry , Euclid told his slave to get the pupil a coin so he would be gaining from his studies (Blumka VanAtta , 1998 Page , 2007 The Greek philosopher Proclus recorded that when Ptolemy asked the mathematician if there was an easier way to learn geometry than through the Elements , Euclid replied , Sire , there is no royal road to geometry (ibid

Contributions to Mathematics and Geometry

Euclid wrote his famous 13 volume book , the Elements ' which was translated into Latin and Arabic . For 2000 years , this book became the bible of geometry and the most influential textbook . This comprehensive compilation of geometrical knowledge was based on the works of Thales Pythagoras , Plato , Eudoxus , Aristotle , Hippocrates , Menaechmus and others mathematicians (Calvert , 2002 Macmillan Science Library , 2006 Nosotro , 2008 Page , 2007 . It covers plane geometry , arithmetic and number theory , irrational numbers , and solid geometry and organized with simple definitions , axioms , theorems , and methods for logical proofs (Blumka VanAtta , 1998 Nosotro...