Chapter 4

Part I
The Alexandrian School: Euclid
 The Alexandrian School: Euclid

Toward the end of the 4th century there was a

shift from Greece to Egypt in the academic
scene. The shifts were always due to some type
of political & power shifts. Alexander the Great
was largely responsible for the era we call the
Hellenistic (or Greek-like) which lasted for three
centuries until the Roman Empire was
established. (Alexandria in Egypt is named after him.)
 The Alexandrian School: Euclid

Alexandria was a superb harbor and became a

very busy commercial city. The city was the
center of learning during this H age. They build a
center of learning called the Museum (the seat
of the Muses), which was the start of
universities. It was a place where leading scolars
would be invited to stay for free, have access to
the libraries and only be asked to lecture.
 The Alexandrian School: Euclid

For 200 years, 300 – 100 BC the Museum went

on strong with hundreds of scholars making
their way to it, which meant that much
mathematics among other sciences were
developed. The Alexandrian Library was the
greatest library which contained all the known
Greek books.
 The Alexandrian School: Euclid

Euclid was one of the many scientists who

benefited from the Museum’s “gifts”.
Euclid is the mathematician who was able to
compile an amazing amount of mathematics,
including geometry and number theory into a
collection of 13 books, called the Elements.
 The Alexandrian School: Euclid

Key to Understanding the Elements:

1)He establish the “rules of engagement” by
stating 5 foundational facts called postulates,
which are not to be proven
2)He then created 5 axioms which are deduced
from the above postulates.
3)Based on the above 10, he constructed 465
propositions.
• A postulate is self evident without any actual proof. E.g. Any
straight line is considered to have exactly 180 degrees.

• A theorem uses postulates and/or other theorems as proof.

E.g. The sum of all angles in any triangle is exactly 180
degrees.

• Axioms are statements which cannot be proved but these

statements are accepted universally. E.g. We know that any
line can be drawn joining any two points. This does not have a
proof.
 The Alexandrian School: Euclid

Check out this cool page !

http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/java/elements
/usingApplet.html

Let’s check it out and look over the 5 postulates

and the 5 axioms.
 The Alexandrian School: Euclid

Books I – VI are on Geometry

Books VII – IX are on Pure number theory
Books X – XIII are on more Geometry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclid%27s_Elements
 The Alexandrian School: Euclid

References:
The History of Mathematics – An Introduction
by D. M. Burton
A History of Mathematics
By C. B. Boyer
 Tugasan
• Tugasan dilaksanakan dalam kumpulan 4
orang.
• Huraikan kandungan buku Euclid’s Elements:
Books I – VI are on Geometry
Books VII – IX are on Pure number theory
Books X – XIII are on more Geometry
• Guna slaid powerpoint.