The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid — John Shaqi
The First Six Books of the Elements of EuclidEuclid
Science
The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid
Euclid
Euclid's Elements; Mathematics, Greek
This edition of the Elements of Euclid, undertaken at the request of the principals of
some of the leading Colleges and Schools of Ireland, is intended to supply a want
much felt by teachers at the present day—the production of a work which, while
giving the unrivalled original in all its integrity, would also contain the modern
conceptions and developments of the portion of Geometry over which the Elements
extend. A cursory examination of the work will show that the Editor has gone much
further in this latter direction than any of his predecessors, for it will be found to
contain, not only more actual matter than is given in any of theirs with which he is
acquainted, but also much of a special character, which is not given, so far as he is
aware, in any former work on the subject. The great extension of geometrical
methods in recent times has made such a work a necessity for the student,
to enable him not only to read with advantage, but even to understand
those mathematical writings of modern times which require an accurate
knowledge of Elementary Geometry, and to which it is in reality the best
introduction.
In compiling his work the Editor has received invaluable assistance from the late
Rev. Professor Townsend, s.f.t.c.d. The book was rewritten and considerably
altered in accordance with his suggestions, and to that distinguished Geometer it is
largely indebted for whatever merit it possesses.
The Questions for Examination in the early part of the First Book are intended as
specimens, which the teacher ought to follow through the entire work. Every person
who has had experience in tuition knows well the importance of such examinations in
teaching Elementary Geometry.
The Exercises, of which there are over eight hundred, have been all selected with
great care. Those in the body of each Book are intended as applications of Euclid’s
Propositions. They are for the most part of an elementary character, and may be
regarded as common property, nearly every one of them having appeared already in
previous collections. The Exercises at the end of each Book are more advanced;
several are due to the late Professor Townsend, some are original, and a large number
have been taken from two important French works—Catalan’s Théorèmes et
Problèmes de Géométrie Elémentaire, and the Traité de Géométrie, by Rouché and
De Comberousse.
The second edition has been thoroughly revised and greatly enlarged. The new
matter includes several alternative proofs, important examination questions on each
of the books, an explanation of the ratio of incommensurable quantities, the first
twenty-one propositions of Book XI., and an Appendix on the properties of the
Prism, Pyramids, Cylinder, Sphere, and Cone.
The present Edition has been very carefully read throughout, and it is hoped that
few misprints have escaped detection.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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