Euclid of Alexandria is one of the most important and influential
mathematicians in history. Living in ancient Alexandria, he wrote The
Elements, a geometry textbook used in some places until the twentieth
century. His work in geometry provided the foundation on which all
future mathematicians were educated.
For a man of such great significance to the world of mathematics, little
is known about his actual life. Euclid is thought to have lived from
325-265 BC, mostly in Alexandria. He was taught at The Academy in
Athens, founded by Plato, and probably tutored another great
mathematician, Archimedes. Euclid also founded a great mathematics
school in Alexandria. Little was ever written about Euclid, and the
available information is scarce and of questionable accuracy. Much of
the information we do have is from authors like Proclus who lived
centuries later, writing about his books, not his life.
If little has ever been made of Euclid's life, then the opposite is true
of his book. The Elements was used as the primary geometry resource for
over 2000 years, and his lessons could still be used today. Although it
contains 13 volumes, much of the work may not be Euclid's. Some of the
chapters seem to be written with different styles, and others are geared
for different ages, leading one to believe that he inserted other
mathematicians' work into his own.
Each volume begins with pages of definitions and postulates, followed by
his theorems. Euclid then proves each one of his theorems using the
definitions and postulates, mathematically proving even the most
obvious. His work was translated into Latin and Arabic, and was first
printed in mass quantity in 1482, ten years before Columbus, but 1800
years AFTER it was written! From that point until the early 1900's, The
Elements was considered by far the best geometry textbook in the world.
Although he may not have written The Elements entirely on his own, his
other works are certainly his alone. Those include Data, Optics,
Phaenomena, and On Division of Figures. His work in Data is probably the
most famous of his smaller works, and focuses on finding certain
measurements and quantities when others are given. Phaenomena is about
planetary motions and Optics about perspectives. In Optics, Euclid
attempts to prove the common belief of the time that sight was created
by rays coming from the eye, rather than light entering the eye.
Euclid was apparently a kind, patient man, and did possess a sarcastic
sense of humor. In fact, King Ptolemy once asked Euclid if there was an
easier way to study math than learning all the theorems. Euclid then
replied, "There is no royal road to geometry," and sent one of the most
powerful kings of his time off to study. On another occasion, a student
of his questioned the value of learning geometry, much like students
today. Euclid responded by giving the small child a coin, saying that
"he must make gain out of what he learns."
There are many other works of Euclid which appear to be lost to time,
but his primary work in The Elements is what made him famous. His work
in geometry led to discovery after discovery in history, and provided
the basis for mathematical education for 2000 years. While students no
longer read directly from his writing, the textbooks of today are still
based on Euclidean proofs and theorems. Perhaps it is fitting, then,
that Euclid is called "The Father of Geometry".
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