Euclid (nonfiction)

He was active in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I (323–283 BC).

His Elements is one of the most influential works in the history of mathematics, serving as the main textbook for teaching mathematics (especially geometry) from the time of its publication until the late 19th or early 20th century. In the Elements, Euclid deduced the principles of what is now called Euclidean geometry from a small set of axioms.

Euclid also wrote works on perspective, conic sections, spherical geometry, number theory, and rigor.

Euclid is the anglicized version of the Greek name Εὐκλείδης, which means "renowned, glorious".

Very few original references to Euclid survive, so little is known about his life. The date, place and circumstances of both his birth and death are unknown and may only be estimated roughly relative to other people mentioned with him. He is rarely mentioned by name by other Greek mathematicians from Archimedes (c. 287 BC – c. 212 BC) onward, and is usually referred to as "ὁ στοιχειώτης" ("the author of Elements"). The few historical references to Euclid were written centuries after he lived by Proclus c. 450 AD and Pappus of Alexandria c. 320 AD.

Proclus introduces Euclid only briefly in his Commentary on the Elements. According to Proclus, Euclid belonged to Plato's "persuasion" and brought together the Elements, drawing on prior work by several pupils of Plato (particularly Eudoxus of Cnidus, Theaetetus and Philip of Opus.) Proclus believes that Euclid is not much younger than these, and that he must have lived during the time of Ptolemy I because he was mentioned by Archimedes (287–212 BC). Although the apparent citation of Euclid by Archimedes has been judged to be an interpolation by later editors of his works, it is still believed that Euclid wrote his works before those of Archimedes.

Fiction cross-reference

• Anarchimedes
• Euclid

Nonfiction cross-reference

• Alexandria (nonfiction)
• Archimedes (nonfiction)
• Axiom (nonfiction)
• Euclidean algorithm (nonfiction)
• Mathematician (nonfiction)
• Plato (nonfiction)

External links:

• Euclid @ Wikipedia