JOHN EXZUR ELIZER A.

ALCEDO
BSED 3 MATH

VI. POST-COMPETENCY CHECKLIST

TASK 1.1 Upon learning the concepts of ― history of Parallel Postulate and how
Proclus and Wallis
attempted to prove the fifth postulate (parallel postulate), please do the following task.

1. Create a graphic organizer on how the Parallel Postulate started. Explain how
Proclus and Wallis attempted to prove the fifth postulate (parallel postulate).

The commentator
Proclus tells us
that the postulate
was attacked from
the very start.
In his proof of this, Proclus draws a
straight line, g''' through a given
point a parallel to g'. Thentaking a
The statement Proclus point B on g '' he drops a
proves instead of the perpendicular to g ''' from it. From
parallel postulate is, this he reasons that since the
"Given a + b < 2d ,prove
that the straight lines g'
PROCLUS distancefrom g ''' increases without
limit as the distance between aand
and g'' meet at a certain B grows and the distance between
point C." g' and g''' is constantthen there
must be a point C on g'' belonging
to g'.

He wrote, "This
postulate ought even
to be struck out of
Postulates
altogether;for it is a
theorem".
 Wallis' recognition of the significance of
exponents, proving the theorem he also
attempted a proof to the parallel postulate.
However, instead ofdirectly with neutral
geometry, he proposed a new axiom.

He thought he had
deduced the fifth
postulate, but he had He begins with two straight lines
actually shown it to be
equivalent to:- “To each
triangle, there exists a
WALLIS making, with a third infinite
straight line, two interior angles,
less than two right angles.
similar triangle of arbitrary
magnitude.”

He then "slides " one angle down the line AF until

it reaches a designated position ab, cutting the
first line at p Then using his first postulate, he
claims that the two triangles aC b and ACP are
similar, thus showing that AB and CD meet at a
point P, and proving the theorem.

2. Make a Venn Diagram, then compare the similarities and differences between the
proofs of Proclus and Wallis.

PROCLUS WALLIS

Proclus uses to straight John Wallis used

SIMILARITIES
lines that are parallel to triangles in his attempt
each other, and the They both used to prove the parallel
properties of triangles. straight lines in postulate. He thought
Pogorelov says that the their attempt to he had deduced the
parallel straight lines his prove the fifth fifth postulate, but he
proof relies on are not postulate of had actually shown it
explicitly contained in the Euclid. to be equivalent to:-
other postulates or “To each triangle,
axioms. there exists a similar
triangle of arbitrary
magnitude.”
3. In your own understanding, how does the parallel postulate of Euclid help the
development of modern geometry?
• In my own understanding, the parallel postulate or the fifth postulate of Euclid
help to develop the modern geometry through its own uniqueness against the
first four postulate of Euclid. Furthermore, because of its complications, the other
mathematicians became curios and desperate to prove the fifth postulate of
Euclid, and with that attempts of different mathematician became the foundation
and start of the development of modern geometry.