Mathematics Project

Applications of
Euclid's Geometry

Submitted by:
Sargha Biju Kuttikat
Xii j
 CONTENT

Euclid's Geometry

What is Euclid's Geometry ?

Definition of Euclid's Geometry

Euclid's Axioms

Euclid's Postulates

Application of Euclidean Geometry in the

architecture of a Gothic vault
 Euclid's Geometry

Euclid's Geometry, also known as Euclidean Geometry, is

considered the study of plane and solid shapes based on different
axioms and theorems. The word Geometry comes from the Greek
words 'geo’, meaning the ‘earth’, and ‘metrein’, meaning ‘to
measure’. Euclid's Geometry was introduced by the Greek
mathematician Euclid, where Euclid defined a basic set of rules
and theorems for a proper study of geometry. In this section, we
are going to learn more about the concept of Euclid's Geometry,
the axioms and solve a few examples.
What is Euclid's
Geometry ?

Euclid's Geometry was introduced by the Father

of Geometry i.e. Euclid and is also called
Euclidean Geometry. Geometry was originated
from the need for measuring land and was
studied in various forms in every ancient
civilization such as Egypt, Babylonia, India, etc.
Euclid's geometry came into play when Euclid
accumulated all the concepts and fundamentals
of geometry into a book called 'Elements'. This
book spoke about the definitions, the axioms,
the theorems, and the proof of various shapes.
Euclid specifically spoke about the shape, size,
and position of solid shapes and various terms
associated with them such as the surface,
straight or curved lines, points, etc. Some of his
fundamentals about solid shapes are :
A point has no parts.
A line is a breadthless length.
The ends of a line are points.
A straight line is a line that lies evenly
with the points on itself.
A surface has a length and breadth only.
The edges of a surface are lines.
A plane surface is a surface that lies
evenly with the straight lines on itself.
Definition of
Euclid's Geometry

Euclid's geometry or the euclidean

geometry is the study of Geometry
based on the undefined terms such as
points, lines, and planes of flat
spaces. In other words, it is the study
of geometrical shapes both plane
shapes and solid shapes and the
relationship between these shapes in
terms of lines, points, and surfaces.
Euclid introduced axioms and
postulates for these solid shapes in his
book elements that help in defining
geometric shapes. Euclid's geometry
deals with two main aspects - plane
geometry and solid geometry. The
table below mentions the theorems
that were proved by Euclid.
 Plane Geometry Theorem proved

Two triangles are

Congruence of triangles congruent if they are
similar in shape and size.

Two triangles are similar in

Similarity of Triangles
shape but differ in size

Area of a plane shape can

Areas be measured by comparing
it with a unit square

Pythagorean theorem helps

in calculating the distance
Pythagorean Theorem
in different situations for
Geometric shapes.

Equal chord determines

equal angles and vice versa
Circles
in a circle.

Regular Polygons are equal

Regular Polygons
in sides and angles.

Conic sections include

Conic Section Ellipse, Parabola, and
Hyperbola.


Solid Geometry Theorem Proved

Volume of a shape can

Volume be calculated.

The existence of
Platonic Solids Platonic Solids.

Platonic Solids

Tetrahedron Cube Octahedron

Dodecahedron Icosahedron
 Euclid's Axioms

Euclid's axioms or common notions are the assumptions of

the obvious universal truths that have not been proven. But
in his book, Elements, Euclid wrote a few axioms or
common notions related to geometric shapes. Let us take a
look:

Axiom 1: Things that are equal to the same thing

are equal to one another.
Suppose the area of a rectangle is equal to the area of a
triangle and the area of that triangle is equal to the area of
a square. After applying the first axiom, we can say that that
the area of the triangle and the square are equal. For
example, if p = q and q = r, then we can say p = r.
 Axiom 2: If equals are added to equals, the
wholes are equal.

Let us look at the line segment AB, where AP = QB. When

PQ is added to both sides, then according to axiom 2, AP +
PQ = QB + PQ i.e AQ = PB.

Axiom 3: If equals are subtracted from equals,

the remainders are equal.

Consider rectangles ABCD and PQRS, where the areas

are equal. If the triangle XYZ is removed from both the
rectangles then according to axiom 3, the areas of the
remaining portions of the two triangles are equal.
Axiom 4: Things that coincide with one another are
equal to one another.
Consider line segment AB with C in the center. AC + CB
coincides with the line segment AB. Thus by axiom 4, we can
say that AC + CB = AB.

Axiom 5: The whole is greater than the part.

Using the same figure as above, AC is a part of AB. Thus
according to axiom 5, we can say that AB > AC.

Axiom 6 and Axiom 7: Things that are double of

the same things are equal to one another.
Things that are halves of the same things are
equal to one another.
Using the same figure as above, AC is a part of AB. Thus
according to axiom 5, we Axiom 6 and 7 are interrelated.
Consider two identical circles with radii (r)1(r)1 and (r)2(r)2
with diameters as (d)1(d)1 and (d)2(d)2 respectively. Since
the circles are identical, using both axioms 6 and 7, we can
say that (r)1(r)1 = (r)2(r)2 and (d)1(d)1 = (d)2(d)2. can say
that AB > AC.
Euclid's Postulates
For discussing Euclid's postulate, there are a few terms that
we need to get familiarized with. Euclid talks about a three-
step process from solids to points which is solids-surface-lines-
points. At each step, one dimension is lost from the shape.
Therefore, a solid is a 3D shape, a surface is a 2D shape, a
line is a one dimension shape, and points are dimensions. The
term surface means something that has length and breadth
only. Whereas a point has no part, has a long length, etc.
These terms will help in understanding the postulate better.
There is 5 Euclid's postulate, let us take a look:

Postulate 1: A straight line segment can be drawn

for any two given points.
This postulate shows us that at least one straight line passes
through two distinct points, but it does not say that there
cannot be more than one such line. Look at the line below,
only one line passes through P and Q which is PQ that
passes through both Q and P respectively.
Postulate 2: A line segment can be extended in
either direction to form a line.
A line segment can be extended in either direction to form a
line is the second postulate.

Postulate 3: To describe a circle with any center

and radius.
A circle is considered as a plane figure that consists of a set
of points that are equidistant from a reference point and can
be drawn with its center and radius. According to the third
postulate, the shape of a circle does not change when the
radius is different. What changes is the size of the circle.

Postulate 4: All right angles are equal to one

another.
A right-angle measures at exactly 90° irrespective of the
lengths of their arms. Hence according to postulate 4, all
right angles are equal to each other. This holds good only for
right-angled triangles and not acute angle triangles or
obtuse angle triangles.
Postulate 5: If two lines are intersected by a third
in such a way that the sum of the inner angles on
one side is less than two right angles, then the
two lines will intersect each other on that side if
produced indefinitely.

When there are two lines cut by a third line, if the sum of the
interior angles is less than 180°, then the two lines will meet
when extended on that side.
∠ ∠ ∠ ∠
In the image given below, 1+ 2<180∘ 1+ 2<180∘.
Therefore, Line mm and nn will meet when extended on the
side of 1 and 2
 Application of Euclidean Geometry
in the architecture of a Gothic vault

A Gothic vault is composed of ribs, keystones and webs

(curved masonry that fills the web between ribs). The ribs are
the cross vault diagonals, transverse ribs and the wall ribs.
There are hundreds, if not thousands of architectural
historians over the last two hundred years who have basically
asked the same question. Or more importantly, how did the
medieval cathedrals get built. A lot of the architectural
historians provide a good insight into the building of the
cathedrals, but in the end their findings are speculative.

 Application of Euclidean Geometry

in the architecture of a Gothic vault
The following diagram is self-evident and needs no further
explanation. There are self-evident statement in several of
the “Carpentry and Building Journals” published from 1880 to
1905. It also appears in most of the books written on
carpentry from 1800 to 1900. What the writer’s were really
saying was that they were expressing postulates just like
Euclid that were self-evident. There are really only two
postulates from the Euclid's Elements that we need to know
as carpenters to end all of our paragraphs with “it is self-
evident and needs no further explanation”. The two
postulates are Euclid’s Elements Book 1 Prop 1 and Euclid's
Elements Book 1 Prop 47.

Euclid's Elements Book 1 Prop 1, to construct an equilateral

triangle on a given finite straight line A-B. The radius of the
circles are AB. The equilateral triangle ACB is form by the
intersection of the two circles.

This is the basic geometric figure that 100’s of other

geometric figures can be drawn from. Two easy examples
that carpenters use are the equilateral arch and the Gothic
Arch.

Equilateral Arch from Euclid’s Elements Book 1 Prop 1.

Gothic Arch from Euclid's Elements Book 1 Prop 1.

 Euclid's Elements Book 1 Prop 47. In right-angled triangles

the square on the side opposite the right angle equals the
sum of the squares on the sides containing the right angle.
We've all been there done that with the Pythagoras theorem,
but it's neat to count the squares so we can say "it is self-
evident and needs no further explanation".

From Euclid's Elements Book 1 Prop 1, to construct

an equilateral triangle you can easily create 100’s
six point geometric figures.

To draw the Euclidean six point geometry start with radius line
AB on two perpendicular lines. Set your compass at B and draw
the circle with radius AB. Next set your compass at point 1 and
using the same radius AB swing the compass to draw the first
arc that touches the sides of the circle. Next set your compass at
point #2 where the first arc touches the circle and swing another
arc. Procede around the circle setting your compass at the
intersection of the arc and circle to draw the rest of the arcs.
The six point geometry can also be call six rose petals, seed of
life, timber framing daisy wheel, Dutch Hexagram, thunder
marks, hex rose petal or the basis for the Star of David or that
King Solomon’s seal is based on six point geometry.

Seed of Life
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

www.sbebuilders.com/

www.cuemath.com

https://sites.pitt.edu/