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Euclid · Elements §5.prop.24-5.prop.25

Addition of Ratios and Sum of Extremes in Proportions

Passage 82 of 316 · Greek

Summary

In Proposition 24 of Book 5, it is proved that adding corresponding terms in two sets of proportional ratios preserves the proportion. In Proposition 25, it is proved that for four proportional magnitudes, the sum of the greatest and the least is greater than the sum of the remaining two.

§5.prop.24ἐὰν πρῶτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἔχῃ λόγον καὶ τρίτον πρὸς τέταρτον, ἔχῃ δὲ καὶ πέμπτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον καὶ ἕκτον πρὸς τέταρτον, καὶ συντεθὲν πρῶτον καὶ πέμπτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἕξει λόγον καὶ τρίτον καὶ ἕκτον πρὸς τέταρτον.
If a first magnitude has to a second the same ratio as a third has to a fourth, and a fifth also has to the second the same ratio as a sixth has to the fourth, then the first and fifth added together will also have to the second the same ratio as the third and sixth have to the fourth.
πρῶτον γὰρ τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς δεύτερον τὸ Γ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐχέτω λόγον καὶ τρίτον τὸ ΔΕ πρὸς τέταρτον τὸ Ζ, ἐχέτω δὲ καὶ πέμπτον τὸ ΒΗ πρὸς δεύτερον τὸ Γ τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον καὶ ἕκτον τὸ ΕΘ πρὸς τέταρτον τὸ Ζ· λέγω, ὅτι καὶ συντεθὲν πρῶτον καὶ πέμπτον τὸ ΑΗ πρὸς δεύτερον τὸ Γ τὸν αὐτὸν ἕξει λόγον, καὶ τρίτον καὶ ἕκτον τὸ ΔΘ πρὸς τέταρτον τὸ Ζ. ἐπεὶ γάρ ἐστιν ὡς τὸ ΒΗ πρὸς τὸ Γ, οὕτως τὸ ΕΘ πρὸς τὸ Ζ, ἀνάπαλιν ἄρα ὡς τὸ Γ πρὸς τὸ ΒΗ, οὕτως τὸ Ζ πρὸς τὸ ΕΘ. ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐστιν ὡς τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς τὸ Γ, οὕτως τὸ ΔΕ πρὸς τὸ Ζ, ὡς δὲ τὸ Γ πρὸς τὸ ΒΗ, οὕτως τὸ Ζ πρὸς τὸ ΕΘ, διʼ ἴσου ἄρα ἐστὶν ὡς τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς τὸ ΒΗ, οὕτως τὸ ΔΕ πρὸς τὸ ΕΘ. καὶ ἐπεὶ διῃρημένα μεγέθη ἀνάλογόν ἐστιν, καὶ συντεθέντα ἀνάλογον ἔσται·
For let a first AB have to a second Γ the same ratio as a third ΔE has to a fourth Z, and let a fifth BH also have to the second Γ the same ratio as a sixth EΘ has to the fourth Z; I say that the first and fifth added together, AH, will also have to the second Γ the same ratio as the third and sixth, ΔΘ, have to the fourth Z.
ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς τὸ ΑΗ πρὸς τὸ ΗΒ, οὕτως τὸ ΔΘ πρὸς τὸ ΘΕ. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ὡς τὸ ΒΗ πρὸς τὸ Γ, οὕτως τὸ ΕΘ πρὸς τὸ Ζ· διʼ ἴσου ἄρα ἐστὶν ὡς τὸ ΑΗ πρὸς τὸ Γ, οὕτως τὸ ΔΘ πρὸς τὸ Ζ. ἐὰν ἄρα πρῶτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἔχῃ λόγον καὶ τρίτον πρὸς τέταρτον, ἔχῃ δὲ καὶ πέμπτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον καὶ ἕκτον πρὸς τέταρτον, καὶ συντεθὲν πρῶτον καὶ πέμπτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἕξει λόγον καὶ τρίτον καὶ ἕκτον πρὸς τέταρτον· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
For since as BH is to Γ, so is EΘ to Z, therefore, inversely, as Γ is to BH, so is Z to EΘ. Since then as AB is to Γ, so is ΔE to Z, and as Γ is to BH, so is Z to EΘ, therefore, ex aequali, as AB is to BH, so is ΔE to EΘ. And since if magnitudes are proportional when divided, they will also be proportional when compounded, therefore as AH is to HB, so is ΔΘ to ΘE. But as BH is to Γ, so is EΘ to Z; therefore, ex aequali, as AH is to Γ, so is ΔΘ to Z. If therefore a first magnitude has to a second the same ratio as a third has to a fourth, and a fifth also has to the second the same ratio as a sixth has to the fourth, then the first and fifth added together will also have to the second the same ratio as the third and sixth have to the fourth; which was to be proved.
§5.prop.25ἐὰν τέσσαρα μεγέθη ἀνάλογον ᾖ, τὸ μέγιστον καὶ τὸ ἐλάχιστον δύο τῶν λοιπῶν μείζονά ἐστιν.
If four magnitudes are proportional, the greatest and the least are greater than the remaining two.
ἔστω τέσσαρα μεγέθη ἀνάλογον τὰ ΑΒ, ΓΔ, Ε, Ζ, ὡς τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς τὸ ΓΔ, οὕτως τὸ Ε πρὸς τὸ Ζ, ἔστω δὲ μέγιστον μὲν αὐτῶν τὸ ΑΒ, ἐλάχιστον δὲ τὸ Ζ· λέγω, ὅτι τὰ ΑΒ, Ζ τῶν ΓΔ, Ε μείζονά ἐστιν.
Let four magnitudes AB, ΓΔ, E, Z be proportional, so that as AB is to ΓΔ, so is E to Z, and let the greatest of them be AB, and the least Z; I say that AB and Z are greater than ΓΔ and E.
κείσθω γὰρ τῷ μὲν Ε ἴσον τὸ ΑΗ, τῷ δὲ Ζ ἴσον τὸ ΓΘ. ἐπεὶ ἐστιν ὡς τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς τὸ ΓΔ, οὕτως τὸ Ε πρὸς τὸ Ζ, ἴσον δὲ τὸ μὲν Ε τῷ ΑΗ, τὸ δὲ Ζ τῷ ΓΘ, ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς τὸ ΓΔ, οὕτως τὸ ΑΗ πρὸς τὸ ΓΘ. καὶ ἐπεί ἐστιν ὡς ὅλον τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς ὅλον τὸ ΓΔ, οὕτως ἀφαιρεθὲν τὸ ΑΗ πρὸς ἀφαιρεθὲν τὸ ΓΘ, καὶ λοιπὸν ἄρα τὸ ΗΒ πρὸς λοιπὸν τὸ ΘΔ ἔσται ὡς ὅλον τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς ὅλον τὸ ΓΔ. μεῖζον δὲ τὸ ΑΒ τοῦ ΓΔ· μεῖζον ἄρα καὶ τὸ ΗΒ τοῦ ΘΔ. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἴσον ἐστὶ τὸ μὲν ΑΗ τῷ Ε, τὸ δὲ ΓΘ τῷ Ζ, τὰ ἄρα ΑΗ, Ζ ἴσα ἐστὶ τοῖς ΓΘ, ε.
For let AH be made equal to E, and ΓΘ equal to Z. Since as AB is to ΓΔ, so is E to Z, and E is equal to AH, and Z to ΓΘ, therefore as AB is to ΓΔ, so is AH to ΓΘ. And since as the whole AB is to the whole ΓΔ, so is the subtracted AH to the subtracted ΓΘ, therefore the remainder HB will also be to the remainder ΘΔ as the whole AB is to the whole ΓΔ. But AB is greater than ΓΔ; therefore HB is also greater than ΘΔ. And since AH is equal to E, and ΓΘ to Z, therefore AH and Z are equal to ΓΘ and E.
καὶ ἐὰν τῶν ΗΒ, ΘΔ ἀνίσων ὄντων καὶ μείζονος τοῦ ΗΒ τῷ μὲν ΗΒ προστεθῇ τὰ ΑΗ, Ζ, τῷ δὲ ΘΔ προστεθῇ τὰ ΓΘ, Ε, συνάγεται τὰ ΑΒ, Ζ μείζονα τῶν ΓΔ, Ε. ἐὰν ἄρα τέσσαρα μεγέθη ἀνάλογον ᾖ, τὸ μέγιστον αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ ἐλάχιστον δύο τῶν λοιπῶν μείζονά ἐστιν· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
And since HB and ΘΔ are unequal, and HB is greater, if AH and Z are added to HB, and ΓΘ and E are added to ΘΔ, it results that AB and Z are greater than ΓΔ and E. If therefore four magnitudes are proportional, the greatest of them and the least are greater than the remaining two; which was to be proved.

Notes

  1. prop.24καὶ ἐπεὶ διῃρημένα μεγέθη ἀνάλογόν ἐστιν, καὶ συντεθέντα ἀνάλογον ἔσται — Meaning "since divided magnitudes are proportional, the compounded magnitudes will also be proportional." The terms `διῃρημένα` (separated/divided) and `συντεθέντα` (compounded/added) are neuter plural nominative participles used substantively, referring to the operations defined in Book V (specifically Proposition 18).
  2. prop.25καὶ ἐὰν τῶν ΗΒ, ΘΔ ἀνίσων ὄντων καὶ μείζονος τοῦ ΗΒ τῷ μὲν ΗΒ προστεθῇ τὰ ΑΗ, Ζ, τῷ δὲ ΘΔ προστεθῇ τὰ ΓΘ, ε, συνάγεται τὰ ΑΒ, Ζ μείζονα τῶν ΓΔ, Ε. — A highly complex sentence syntactically. The opening clause `τῶν ΗΒ, ΘΔ ἀνίσων ὄντων καὶ μείζονος τοῦ ΗΒ` is a genitive absolute construction with the participle `ὄντων` (and an implied `ὄντος` after `μείζονος`), expressing the condition: "since HB, ΘΔ are unequal and HB is greater." Within the `ἐὰν` clause, the passive subjunctive verb `προστεθῇ` takes the datives `τῷ μὲν ΗΒ` and `τῷ δὲ ΘΔ` as indirect objects. The main clause `συνάγεται...` states the conclusion: "it is concluded that AB, Z are greater than ΓΔ, E." Note that `ε` in the text represents the capital letter `Ε`.

Cite this passage

Euclid, Elements §5.prop.24-5.prop.25. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1799.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.prop.24-5.prop.25

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