History of Mathematics

-Thales to Euclid-
-Thales
● Founders of Greek mathematics
• A Greek mathematician
• He is considered to be the founder
of Greek Geometry
• He is named as one of the “seven
wise” men in Greece.
• Credited with giving the first
known proof. (this proof was of the
statement that a circle is bisected
by its diameter.)
 THALES CONTRIBUTION IN
ELEMENTARY GEOMETRY
• A circle is bisected by any of its
diameters.
• The angles at the base of an DIAMETER
isosceles triangle are equal.
• When two straight lines cut each
other, the vertically opposite angles BASE ANGLES
are equal.
L1 L2
• The angle in a semicircle is a right
angle.
• Two triangles are equal in all respects INSCRIBED ANGLE

if they have two angles and one side

respectively equal. SEMI-CIRCLE
EUCLID
• An ancient Greek mathematician from
Alexandria who is best known for his
major work, ELEMENTS. Although little is
known about Euclid the man, he taught in
a school that he founded in Alexandria,
Egypt, around 300 B.C.E.
• One of his famous contributions is the
Euclidian algorithm.
 THE EUCLIDIAN ALGORITHM

● Euclid’s algorithm
● Is an efficient method for computing thegreatest common divisor (GCD) of two integers,
the largest number that divides them both without remainder. It is named after the
Elements .
ancient Greek mathematician Euclid, who first described it in his
● One of the oldest algorithms in common use. It can be used to reduce fractions to their
simplest form.
 EUCLIDIAN ALGORITHM

● The Euclidian algorithm is a way to find the greatest common divisor of two positive
integers, a and b.

● Computation

• If a< b ,exchange a and b.

• Divide a by b and get the remainder, r. if r= 0, report b as the GCD of a and b.

• Replace a by b and replace b by r. return to previous step.

Example:
● Let a= 210 and b= 45, find their GCF / GCD.

● Divide 210 by 45, and get the result 4 with remainder 30, so
● 210= 4(45) + 30.
● Divide 45 by 30 and get the result 1 with the remainder 15, so
● 45= 1(30) + 15
● Divide 30 by 15 and get the result 2 with the remainder 0, so
● 30= 2(15) + 0.
● The greatest common divisor of 210 and 45 is 15.
Example
● a. 1785 and 546.

● b. 270 and 192

 EUCLID’S THE ELEMENTS

 Book 1 - Triangles, Parallels, and area

 Book 2- geometric algebra
 Book 3 - circles
 Book 4 - constructions for inscribed and circumscribed figures
 Book 5 - theory of proportions
 Book 6 - similar figures and proportions
 Book 7 - fundamentals of theory of numbers

 Book 8 - continued proportion in number theory

Postulates vs. Axioms
 POSTULATES
(term use for assumptions that were specific to geometry)

1. A straight line may be drawn from any point to any other point.
2. A terminated line can be produced indefinitely
3. A circle can be drawn with any centre and any radius.
4. All right angles are equal to one another.
5. If a straight line falling on two straight lines makes the interior
angles on the same side of it taken together less than two right
angles, then the two straight lines, if produced indefinitely, meet
on that side on which the sum of angles is less than two right
angles.
 AXIOMS
(also called common notions)
( term use for assumptions used throughout mathematics and not
specifically linked to geometry.)

1. Things which are equal to the same thing are equal to each other.
2. If equals are added to equals, the wholes(sum) are equal.
3. If equals are subtracted from equals, the remainders(differences) are
equal
4. Things that coincide with one another are equal to one another
5. The whole is greater than the part.
6. Things which are double of the same thing are equal to each other.
7. Things which are halves of the same thing are equal to each other
Activity:
find the GCD/ GCF of the ff.

a. 232 and 52 e. 830 and 80

b. 526 and 102 f. 819 and 490
c. 424 and 40 g. 1012 and 10580
d. 215 and 75 h. 288 and 160
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