This term has entirely dropped out of geometry, and few teachers would
know what it meant if they should hear it used. Proclus called such
angles "mixed."
8. ANGLE IN A SEGMENT. _An angle in a segment is the angle which, when a
point is taken on the circumference of the segment and straight lines
are joined from it to the extremities of the straight line which is the
base of the segment, is contained by the straight lines so joined._
Such an involved definition would not be usable to-day. Moreover, the
words "circumference of the segment" would not be used.
9. _And when the straight lines containing the angle cut off a
circumference, the angle is said to stand upon that circumference._
10. SECTOR. _A sector of a circle is the figure which, when an angle is
constructed at the center of the circle, is contained by the straight
lines containing the angle and the circumference cut off by them._
There is no reason for such an extended definition, our modern
phraseology being both more exact (as seen in the above use of
"circumference" for "arc") and more intelligible. The Greek word for
"sector" is "knife" (_tomeus_), "sector" being the Latin translation. A
sector is supposed to resemble a shoemaker's knife, and hence the
significance of the term. Euclid followed this by a definition of
similar sectors, a term now generally abandoned as unnecessary.
It will be noticed that Euclid did not use or define the word "polygon."
He uses "rectilinear figure" instead. Polygon may be defined to be a
bounding line, as a circle is now defined, or as the space inclosed by a
broken line, or as a figure formed by a broken line, thus including both
the limited plane and its boundary. It is not of any great consequence
geometrically which of these ideas is adopted, so that the usual
definition of a portion of a plane bounded by a broken line may be taken
as sufficient for elementary purposes. It is proper to call attention,
however, to the fact that we may have cross polygons of various types,
and that the line that "bounds" the polygon must be continuous, as the
definition states. That is, in the second of these figures the shaded
portion is not considered a polygon. Such special cases are not liable
to arise, but if questions relating to them are suggested, the teacher
should be prepared to answer them. If suggested to a class, a note of
this kind should come out only incidentally as a bit of interest, and
should not occupy much time nor be unduly emphasized.
[Illustration]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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