Humanitext Reader

Euclid · Elements §5.prop.4-5.prop.5

Ratios of Equimultiples and Multiples of Remainders

Passage 71 of 316 · Greek

Summary

Proposition 4 proves that if magnitudes are proportional, their equimultiples will also have the same ratio. Proposition 5 proves that if a whole magnitude is the same multiple of another whole magnitude that a subtracted part is of a subtracted part, the remainder will also be the same multiple of the remainder.

§5.prop.4ἐὰν πρῶτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἔχῃ λόγον καὶ τρίτον πρὸς τέταρτον, καὶ τὰ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τοῦ τε πρώτου καὶ τρίτου πρὸς τὰ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τοῦ δευτέρου καὶ τετάρτου καθʼ ὁποιονοῦν πολλαπλασιασμὸν τὸν αὐτὸν ἕξει λόγον ληφθέντα κατάλληλα.
If a first magnitude have the same ratio to a second that a third has to a fourth, then also the equimultiples of the first and third will have the same ratio to the equimultiples of the second and fourth, respectively, taken according to any multiplication whatever.
πρῶτον γὰρ τὸ Α πρὸς δεύτερον τὸ Β τὸν αὐτὸν ἐχέτω λόγον καὶ τρίτον τὸ Γ πρὸς τέταρτον τὸ Δ, καὶ εἰλήφθω τῶν μὲν Α, Γ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Ε, Ζ, τῶν δὲ Β, Δ ἄλλα, ἃ ἔτυχεν, ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Η, Θ·
For let a first, A, have the same ratio to a second, B, that a third, Γ, has to a fourth, Δ, and let equimultiples E, Z be taken of A, Γ, and other arbitrary equimultiples H, Θ of B, Δ.
λέγω, ὅτι ἐστὶν ὡς τὸ Ε πρὸς τὸ Η, οὕτως τὸ Ζ πρὸς τὸ Θ. εἰλήφθω γὰρ τῶν μὲν Ε, Ζ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Κ, Λ, τῶν δὲ Η, Θ ἄλλα, ἃ ἔτυχεν, ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Μ, Ν. ἐπεὶ ἰσάκις ἐστὶ πολλαπλάσιον τὸ μὲν Ε τοῦ Α, τὸ δὲ Ζ τοῦ Γ, καὶ εἴληπται τῶν Ε, Ζ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Κ, Λ, ἰσάκις ἄρα ἐστὶ πολλαπλάσιον τὸ Κ τοῦ α καὶ τὸ Λ τοῦ Γ. διὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ ἰσάκις ἐστὶ πολλαπλάσιον τὸ Μ τοῦ Β καὶ τὸ Ν τοῦ Λ. καὶ ἐπεί ἐστιν ὡς τὸ Α πρὸς τὸ Β, οὕτως τὸ Γ πρὸς τὸ Δ, καὶ εἴληπται τῶν μὲν Α, Γ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Κ, Λ, τῶν δὲ Β, Δ ἄλλα ἃ ἔτυχεν, ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Μ, Ν, εἰ ἄρα ὑπερέχει τὸ Κ τοῦ Μ, ὑπερέχει καὶ τὸ Λ τοῦ Ν, καὶ εἰ ἴσον, ἴσον, καὶ εἰ ἔλαττον, ἔλαττον.
I say that as E is to H, so is Z to Θ. For let equimultiples K, Λ be taken of E, Z, and other arbitrary equimultiples M, N of H, Θ. Since E is the same multiple of A that Z is of Γ, and equimultiples K, Λ have been taken of E, Z, therefore K is the same multiple of A that Λ is of Γ. For the same reason, M is the same multiple of B that N is of Δ. And since as A is to B, so is Γ to Δ, and equimultiples K, Λ have been taken of A, Γ, and other arbitrary equimultiples M, N of B, Δ, therefore if K exceeds M, Λ also exceeds N, and if equal, equal, and if less, less.
καί ἐστι τὰ μὲν Κ, Λ τῶν Ε, Ζ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια, τὰ δὲ Μ, Ν τῶν Η, Θ ἄλλα, ἃ ἔτυχεν, ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια· ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς τὸ Ε πρὸς τὸ Η, οὕτως τὸ Ζ πρὸς τὸ Θ. ἐὰν ἄρα πρῶτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἔχῃ λόγον καὶ τρίτον πρὸς τέταρτον, καὶ τὰ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τοῦ τε πρώτου καὶ τρίτου πρὸς τὰ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τοῦ δευτέρου καὶ τετάρτου τὸν αὐτὸν ἕξει λόγον καθʼ ὁποιονοῦν πολλαπλασιασμὸν ληφθέντα κατάλληλα· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
And K, Λ are equimultiples of E, Z, and M, N are other arbitrary equimultiples of H, Θ; therefore, as E is to H, so is Z to Θ. Therefore, if a first magnitude have the same ratio to a second that a third has to a fourth, then also the equimultiples of the first and third will have the same ratio to the equimultiples of the second and fourth, respectively, taken according to any multiplication whatever; which was to be proved.
§5.prop.5ἐὰν μέγεθος μεγέθους ἰσάκις ᾖ πολλαπλάσιον, ὅπερ ἀφαιρεθὲν ἀφαιρεθέντος, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν τοῦ λοιποῦ ἰσάκις ἔσται πολλαπλάσιον, ὁσαπλάσιόν ἐστι τὸ ὅλον τοῦ ὅλου.
If a magnitude be the same multiple of a magnitude that a subtracted part is of a subtracted part, then the remainder will also be the same multiple of the remainder that the whole is of the whole.
μέγεθος γὰρ τὸ ΑΒ μεγέθους τοῦ ΓΔ ἰσάκις ἔστω πολλαπλάσιον, ὅπερ ἀφαιρεθὲν τὸ ΑΕ ἀφαιρεθέντος τοῦ ΓΖ·
For let a magnitude, AB, be the same multiple of a magnitude, ΓΔ, that a subtracted part, AE, is of a subtracted part, ΓΖ.
λέγω, ὅτι καὶ λοιπὸν τὸ ΕΒ λοιποῦ τοῦ ΖΔ ἰσάκις ἔσται πολλαπλάσιον, ὁσαπλάσιόν ἐστιν ὅλον τὸ ΑΒ ὅλου τοῦ ΓΔ. ὁσαπλάσιον γάρ ἐστι τὸ ΑΕ τοῦ ΓΖ, τοσαυταπλάσιον γεγονέτω καὶ τὸ ΕΒ τοῦ ΓΗ. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἰσάκις ἐστὶ πολλαπλάσιον τὸ ΑΕ τοῦ ΓΖ καὶ τὸ ΕΒ τοῦ ΗΓ, ἰσάκις ἄρα ἐστὶ πολλαπλάσιον τὸ ΑΕ τοῦ ΓΖ καὶ τὸ ΑΒ τοῦ ΗΖ. κεῖται δὲ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσιον τὸ ΑΕ τοῦ ΓΖ καὶ τὸ ΑΒ τοῦ ΓΔ. ἰσάκις ἄρα ἐστὶ πολλαπλάσιον τὸ ΑΒ ἑκατέρου τῶν ΗΖ, ΓΔ·
I say that the remainder, EB, will also be the same multiple of the remainder, ZΔ, that the whole, AB, is of the whole, ΓΔ. For as many times as AE is a multiple of ΓΖ, let EB be made that many times a multiple of ΓΗ. And since AE is the same multiple of ΓΖ that EB is of ΗΓ, therefore AE is the same multiple of ΓΖ that AB is of ΗΖ. But AE is supposed to be the same multiple of ΓΖ that AB is of ΓΔ; therefore AB is the same multiple of each of the magnitudes ΗΖ, ΓΔ.
ἴσον ἄρα τὸ ΗΖ τῷ ΓΔ. κοινὸν ἀφῃρήσθω τὸ ΓΖ· λοιπὸν ἄρα τὸ ΗΓ λοιπῷ τῷ ΖΔ ἴσον ἐστίν.
Therefore ΗΖ is equal to ΓΔ. Let the common part, ΓΖ, be subtracted; therefore the remainder, ΗΓ, is equal to the remainder, ZΔ.
καὶ ἐπεὶ ἰσάκις ἐστὶ πολλαπλάσιον τὸ ΑΕ τοῦ ΓΖ καὶ τὸ ΕΒ τοῦ ΗΓ, ἴσον δὲ τὸ ΗΓ τῷ ΔΖ, ἰσάκις ἄρα ἐστὶ πολλαπλάσιον τὸ ΑΕ τοῦ ΓΖ καὶ τὸ ΕΒ τοῦ ΖΔ. ἰσάκις δὲ ὑπόκειται πολλαπλάσιον τὸ ΑΕ τοῦ ΓΖ καὶ τὸ ΑΒ τοῦ ΓΔ·
And since AE is the same multiple of ΓΖ that EB is of ΗΓ, and ΗΓ is equal to ΔΖ, therefore AE is the same multiple of ΓΖ that EB is of ZΔ. But AE is supposed to be the same multiple of ΓΖ that AB is of ΓΔ; therefore EB is the same multiple of ZΔ that AB is of ΓΔ.
ἰσάκις ἄρα ἐστὶ πολλαπλάσιον τὸ ΕΒ τοῦ ΖΔ καὶ τὸ ΑΒ τοῦ ΓΔ. καὶ λοιπὸν ἄρα τὸ ΕΒ λοιποῦ τοῦ ΖΔ ἰσάκις ἔσται πολλαπλάσιον, ὁσαπλάσιόν ἐστιν ὅλον τὸ ΑΒ ὅλου τοῦ ΓΔ. ἐὰν ἄρα μέγεθος μεγέθους ἰσάκις ᾖ πολλαπλάσιον, ὅπερ ἀφαιρεθὲν ἀφαιρεθέντος, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν τοῦ λοιποῦ ἰσάκις ἔσται πολλαπλάσιον, ὁσαπλάσιόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ ὅλον τοῦ ὅλου· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
Therefore, the remainder, EB, will also be the same multiple of the remainder, ZΔ, that the whole, AB, is of the whole, ΓΔ. Therefore, if a magnitude be the same multiple of a magnitude that a subtracted part is of a subtracted part, then the remainder will also be the same multiple of the remainder that the whole is of the whole; which was to be proved.

Notes

  1. ¦25¦τοῦ ¦25¦ α — A scribal error or manuscript variant where the capital letter Α was rendered as a lowercase α. The context and mathematical necessity make it clear that it refers to the capital Α (magnitude A).
  2. §5.prop.4καὶ τὸ Ν τοῦ Λ — The Greek text reads "and N [is the same multiple] of Λ," which is logically and mathematically incorrect and is highly likely a scribal error for "and N [is the same multiple] of Δ" (τοῦ Δ). Since the context assumes that M is the same multiple of B that N is of Δ (by applying Proposition 3), the translation follows mathematical correctness and renders it as "N of Δ."
  3. §5.prop.5ὅπερ ἀφαιρεθὲν ἀφαιρεθέντος — A highly elliptical expression meaning "which [subtracted magnitude is the same multiple] of the subtracted [magnitude]." The predicate "ἰσάκις ᾖ πολλαπλάσιον" is understood by supplying it from the preceding clause "ἐὰν μέγεθος μεγέθους ἰσάκις ᾖ πολλαπλάσιον".

Cite this passage

Euclid, Elements §5.prop.4-5.prop.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1799.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.prop.4-5.prop.5

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.