Humanitext Reader

Euclid · Elements §2.prop.10

Sum of Squares on a Bisected and Extended Line

Passage 32 of 316 · Greek

Summary

It is proved that if a straight line is cut in half and an additional straight line is added to it in a straight line, the sum of the squares on the whole line (with the added segment) and on the added segment is double the sum of the squares on the half segment and on the segment made up of the half and the added segment.

§2.prop.10ἐὰν εὐθεῖα γραμμὴ τμηθῇ δίχα, προστεθῇ δέ τις αὐτῇ εὐθεῖα ἐπʼ εὐθείας, τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ὅλης σὺν τῇ προσκειμένῃ καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς προσκειμένης τὰ συναμφότερα τετράγωνα διπλάσιά ἐστι τοῦ τε ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμισείας καὶ τοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς συγκειμένης ἔκ τε τῆς ἡμισείας καὶ τῆς προσκειμένης ὡς ἀπὸ μιᾶς ἀναγραφέντος τετραγώνου.
If a straight line be cut in half, and another straight line be added to it in a straight line, the sum of the square on the whole with the added straight line and the square on the added straight line is double of the square on the half and of the square described on the straight line made up of the half and the added straight line as on a single straight line.
εὐθεῖα γάρ τις ἡ ΑΒ τετμήσθω δίχα κατὰ τὸ Γ, προσκείσθω δέ τις αὐτῇ εὐθεῖα ἐπʼ εὐθείας ἡ ΒΔ· λέγω, ὅτι τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΔ, ΔΒ τετράγωνα διπλάσιά ἐστι τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΓ, ΓΔ τετραγώνων.
For let a straight line AB be cut in half at C, and let a straight line BD be added to it in a straight line; I say that the squares on AD, DB are double of the squares on AC, CD.
ἤχθω γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ Γ σημείου τῇ ΑΒ πρὸς ὀρθὰς ἡ ΓΕ, καὶ κείσθω ἴση ἑκατέρᾳ, τῶν ΑΓ, ΓΒ, καὶ ἐπεζεύχθωσαν αἱ ΕΑ, ΕΒ· καὶ διὰ μὲν τοῦ Ε τῇ ΑΔ παράλληλος ἤχθω ἡ ΕΖ, διὰ δὲ τοῦ Δ τῇ ΓΕ παράλληλος ἤχθω ἡ ΖΔ. καὶ ἐπεὶ εἰς παραλλήλους εὐθείας τὰς ΕΓ, ΖΔ εὐθεῖά τις ἐνέπεσεν ἡ ΕΖ, αἱ ὑπὸ ΓΕΖ, ΕΖΔ ἄρα δυσὶν ὀρθαῖς ἴσαι εἰσίν· αἱ ἄρα ὑπὸ ΖΕΒ, ΕΖΔ δύο ὀρθῶν ἐλάσσονές εἰσιν·
For let CE be drawn from the point C at right angles to AB, and let it be made equal to either AC or CB, and let EA, EB be joined; and through E let EZ be drawn parallel to AD, and through D let ZD be drawn parallel to CE. And since a straight line EZ has fallen upon the parallel straight lines EC, ZD, the angles CEZ, EZD are equal to two right angles; therefore the angles ZEB, EZD are less than two right angles.
αἱ δὲ ἀπʼ ἐλασσόνων ἢ δύο ὀρθῶν ἐκβαλλόμεναι συμπίπτουσιν· αἱ ἄρα ΕΒ, ΖΔ ἐκβαλλόμεναι ἐπὶ τὰ Β, Δ μέρη συμπεσοῦνται.
And straight lines produced from angles less than two right angles meet; therefore EB, ZD, if produced, will meet in the direction of B, D.
ἐκβεβλήσθωσαν καὶ συμπιπτέτωσαν κατὰ τὸ Η, καὶ ἐπεζεύχθω ἡ ΑΗ. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἴση ἐστὶν ἡ ΑΓ τῇ ΓΕ, ἴση ἐστὶ καὶ γωνία ἡ ὑπὸ ΕΑΓ τῇ ὑπὸ ΑΕΓ· καὶ ὀρθὴ ἡ πρὸς τῷ Γ· ἡμίσεια ἄρα ὀρθῆς ἑκατέρα τῶν ὑπὸ ΕΑΓ, ΑΕΓ. διὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ καὶ ἑκατέρα τῶν ὑπὸ ΓΕΒ, ΕΒΓ ἡμίσειά ἐστιν ὀρθῆς· ὀρθὴ ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπὸ ΑΕΒ. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἡμίσεια ὀρθῆς ἐστιν ἡ ὑπὸ ΕΒΓ, ἡμίσεια ἄρα ὀρθῆς καὶ ἡ ὑπὸ ΔΒΗ. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἡ ὑπὸ ΒΔΗ ὀρθή· ἴση γάρ ἐστι τῇ ὑπὸ ΔΓΕ· ἐναλλὰξ γάρ· λοιπὴ ἄρα ἡ ὑπὸ ΔΗΒ ἡμίσειά ἐστιν ὀρθῆς· ἡ ἄρα ὑπὸ ΔΗΒ τῇ ὑπὸ ΔΒΗ ἐστιν ἴση· ὥστε καὶ πλευρὰ ἡ ΒΔ πλευρᾷ τῇ ΗΔ ἐστιν ἴση.
Let them be produced and let them meet at H, and let AH be joined. And since AC is equal to CE, the angle EAG is also equal to the angle AEC; and the angle at C is right; therefore each of the angles EAG, AEC is half a right angle. For the same reason indeed, each of the angles CEB, EBC is also half a right angle; therefore the angle AEB is right. And since the angle EBC is half a right angle, the angle DBH is also half a right angle. And the angle BDH is also right; for it is equal to the angle DCE; for they are alternate; therefore the remaining angle DHB is half a right angle; therefore the angle DHB is equal to the angle DBH; so that the side BD is also equal to the side HD.
πάλιν, ἐπεὶ ἡ ὑπὸ ΕΗΖ ἡμίσειά ἐστιν ὀρθῆς, ὀρθὴ δὲ ἡ πρὸς τῷ Ζ· ἴση γάρ ἐστι τῇ ἀπεναντίον τῇ πρὸς τῷ Γ· λοιπὴ ἄρα ἡ ὑπὸ ΖΕΗ ἡμίσειά ἐστιν ὀρθῆς· ἴση ἄρα ἡ ὑπὸ ΕΗΖ γωνία τῇ ὑπὸ ΖΕΗ· ὥστε καὶ πλευρὰ ἡ ΗΖ πλευρᾷ τῇ ΕΖ ἐστιν ἴση.
Again, since the angle EHZ is half a right angle, and the angle at Z is right (for it is equal to the opposite angle at C), the remaining angle ZEH is also half a right angle; therefore the angle EHZ is equal to the angle ZEH; so that the side HZ is also equal to the side EZ.
καὶ ἐπεὶ ἴσον ἐστὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ΕΓ τετράγωνον τῷ ἀπὸ τῆς ΓΑ τετραγώνῳ· τὰ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῶν ΕΓ, ΓΑ τετράγωνα διπλάσιά ἐστι τοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ΓΑ τετραγώνου.
And since the square on EC is equal to the square on CA, the squares on EC, CA are double of the square on CA.
τοῖς δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ΕΓ, ΓΑ ἴσον ἐστὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ΕΑ· τὸ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῆς ΕΑ τετράγωνον διπλάσιόν ἐστι τοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ΑΓ τετραγώνου.
But the square on EA is equal to the squares on EC, CA; therefore the square on EA is double of the square on AC.
πάλιν, ἐπεὶ ἴση ἐστὶν ἡ ΖΗ τῇ ΕΖ, ἴσον ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ΖΗ τῷ ἀπὸ τῆς ΖΕ· τὰ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῶν ΗΖ, ΖΕ διπλάσιά ἐστι τοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ΕΖ. τοῖς δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ΗΖ, ΖΕ ἴσον ἐστὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ΕΗ· τὸ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῆς ΕΗ διπλάσιόν ἐστι τοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ΕΖ. ἴση δὲ ἡ ΕΖ τῇ ΓΔ· τὸ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῆς ΕΗ τετράγωνον διπλάσιόν ἐστι τοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ΓΔ. ἐδείχθη δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ΕΑ διπλάσιον τοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ΑΓ· τὰ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΕ, ΕΗ τετράγωνα διπλάσιά ἐστι τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΓ, ΓΔ τετραγώνων.
Again, since ZH is equal to EZ, the square on ZH is also equal to the square on ZE; therefore the squares on HZ, ZE are double of the square on EZ. But the square on EH is equal to the squares on HZ, ZE; therefore the square on EH is double of the square on EZ. And EZ is equal to CD; therefore the square on EH is double of the square on CD. And the square on EA was also proved to be double of the square on AC; therefore the squares on AE, EH are double of the squares on AC, CD.
τοῖς δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΕ, ΕΗ τετραγώνοις ἴσον ἐστὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ΑΗ τετράγωνον· τὸ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῆς ΑΗ διπλάσιόν ἐστι τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΓ, ΓΔ. τῷ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ΑΗ ἴσα ἐστὶ τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΔ, ΔΗ· τὰ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΔ, ΔΗ διπλάσιά ἐστι τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΓ, ΓΔ.
But the square on AH is equal to the squares on AE, EH; therefore the square on AH is double of the squares on AC, CD. But the squares on AD, DH are equal to the square on AH; therefore the squares on AD, DH are double of the squares on AC, CD.
ἴση δὲ ἡ ΔΗ τῇ ΔΒ· τὰ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΔ, ΔΒ διπλάσιά ἐστι τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ΑΓ, ΓΔ τετραγώνων.
And DH is equal to DB; therefore the squares on AD, DB are double of the squares on AC, CD.
ἐὰν ἄρα εὐθεῖα γραμμὴ τμηθῇ δίχα, προστεθῇ δέ τις αὐτῇ εὐθεῖα ἐπʼ εὐθείας, τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ὅλης σὺν τῇ προσκειμένῃ καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς προσκειμένης τὰ συναμφότερα τετράγωνα διπλάσιά ἐστι τοῦ τε ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμισείας καὶ τοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς συγκειμένης ἔκ τε τῆς ἡμισείας καὶ τῆς προσκειμένης ὡς ἀπὸ μιᾶς ἀναγραφέντος τετραγώνου· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
If therefore a straight line be cut in half, and another straight line be added to it in a straight line, the sum of the square on the whole with the added straight line and the square on the added straight line is double of the square on the half and of the square described on the straight line made up of the half and the added straight line as on a single straight line; which was to be proved.

Notes

  1. 5συγκειμένης ἔκ τε τῆς ἡμισείας καὶ τῆς προσκειμένης ὡς ἀπὸ μιᾶς ἀναγραφέντος τετραγώνου — The participles `συγκειμένης` (made up) and `ἀναγραφέντος` (described) are genitives, agreeing with and modifying `τετραγώνου` (square) which is introduced by `τοῦ`. `ὡς ἀπὸ μιᾶς` means "as if from a single [line]", indicating that the square is constructed on the combined length of the half and the added segments as a single side.
  2. 20αἱ δὲ ἀπʼ ἐλασσόνων ἢ δύο ὀρθῶν ἐκβαλλόμεναι συμπίπτουσιν — This refers to the fifth postulate (parallel postulate). In `ἀπʼ ἐλασσόνων ἢ δύο ὀρθῶν` (from [angles] less than two right angles), `ἐλασσόνων` is the genitive plural of the comparative. The preposition `ἀπό` indicates the direction in which the sum of the angles is less than two right angles. `ἐκβαλλόμεναι` is a passive participle meaning "being produced / extended".

Cite this passage

Euclid, Elements §2.prop.10. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1799.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.prop.10

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.