Humanitext Reader

Euclid · Elements §8.prop.11-8.prop.12

Mean Proportionals Between Square and Cube Numbers

Passage 137 of 316 · Greek

Summary

Proves that between two square numbers there is one mean proportional and their ratio is the duplicate ratio of their sides (Proposition 11), and that between two cube numbers there are two mean proportionals and their ratio is the triplicate ratio of their sides (Proposition 12).

§8.prop.11δύο τετραγώνων ἀριθμῶν εἷς μέσος ἀνάλογόν ἐστιν ἀριθμός, καὶ ὁ τετράγωνος πρὸς τὸν τετράγωνον διπλασίονα λόγον ἔχει ἤπερ ἡ πλευρὰ πρὸς τὴν πλευράν.
Between two square numbers there is one mean proportional number, and the square has to the square a duplicate ratio of that which the side has to the side.
ἔστωσαν τετράγωνοι ἀριθμοὶ οἱ Α, Β, καὶ τοῦ μὲν Α πλευρὰ ἔστω ὁ Γ, τοῦ δὲ Β ὁ Δ· λέγω, ὅτι τῶν Α, Β εἷς μέσος ἀνάλογόν ἐστιν ἀριθμός, καὶ ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Β διπλασίονα λόγον ἔχει ἤπερ ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ. ὁ Γ γὰρ τὸν Δ πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Ε ποιείτω.
Let Α, Β be square numbers, and let the side of Α be Γ, and that of Β be Δ; I say that between Α, Β there is one mean proportional number, and Α has to Β a duplicate ratio of that which Γ has to Δ. For let Γ by multiplying Δ make Ε.
καὶ ἐπεὶ τετράγωνός ἐστιν ὁ Α, πλευρὰ δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ὁ Γ, ὁ Γ ἄρα ἑαυτὸν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Α πεποίηκεν.
And since Α is square, and its side is Γ, therefore Γ by multiplying itself has made Α.
διὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ καὶ ὁ Δ ἑαυτὸν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Β πεποίηκεν.
For the same reasons also Δ by multiplying itself has made Β.
ἐπεὶ οὖν ὁ Γ ἑκάτερον τῶν Γ, Δ πολλαπλασιάσας ἑκάτερον τῶν Α, Ε πεποίηκεν, ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ, οὕτως ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Ε. διὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ καὶ ὡς ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ, οὕτως ὁ Ε πρὸς τὸν Β. καὶ ὡς ἄρα ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Ε, οὕτως ὁ Ε πρὸς τὸν Β. τῶν Α, Β ἄρα εἷς μέσος ἀνάλογόν ἐστιν ἀριθμός.
Since then Γ by multiplying each of Γ, Δ has made each of Α, Ε, therefore, as Γ is to Δ, so is Α to Ε. For the same reasons also, as Γ is to Δ, so is Ε to Β. Therefore also, as Α is to Ε, so is Ε to Β. Therefore between Α, Β there is one mean proportional number.
λέγω δή, ὅτι καὶ ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Β διπλασίονα λόγον ἔχει ἤπερ ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ. ἐπεὶ γὰρ τρεῖς ἀριθμοὶ ἀνάλογόν εἰσιν οἱ Α, Ε, Β, ὁ Α ἄρα πρὸς τὸν Β διπλασίονα λόγον ἔχει ἤπερ ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Ε. ὡς δὲ ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Ε, οὕτως ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ. ὁ Α ἄρα πρὸς τὸν Β διπλασίονα λόγον ἔχει ἤπερ ἡ Γ πλευρὰ πρὸς τὴν Δ· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
I say next that Α also has to Β a duplicate ratio of that which Γ has to Δ. For since the three numbers Α, Ε, Β are in proportion, therefore Α has to Β a duplicate ratio of that which Α has to Ε. But, as Α is to Ε, so is Γ to Δ; therefore Α also has to Β a duplicate ratio of that which the side Γ has to Δ; which was to be proved.
§8.prop.12δύο κύβων ἀριθμῶν δύο μέσοι ἀνάλογόν εἰσιν ἀριθμοί, καὶ ὁ κύβος πρὸς τὸν κύβον τριπλασίονα λόγον ἔχει ἤπερ ἡ πλευρὰ πρὸς τὴν πλευράν.
Between two cube numbers there are two mean proportional numbers, and the cube has to the cube a triplicate ratio of that which the side has to the side.
ἔστωσαν κύβοι ἀριθμοὶ οἱ Α, Β καὶ τοῦ μὲν Α πλευρὰ ἔστω ὁ Γ, τοῦ δὲ Β ὁ Δ· λέγω, ὅτι τῶν Α, Β δύο μέσοι ἀνάλογόν εἰσιν ἀριθμοί, καὶ ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Β τριπλασίονα λόγον ἔχει ἤπερ ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ. ὁ γὰρ Γ ἑαυτὸν μὲν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Ε ποιείτω, τὸν δὲ Δ πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Ζ ποιείτω, ὁ δὲ Δ ἑαυτὸν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Η ποιείτω, ἑκάτερος δὲ τῶν Γ, Δ τὸν Ζ πολλαπλασιάσας ἑκάτερον τῶν Θ, Κ ποιείτω.
Let Α, Β be cube numbers, and let the side of Α be Γ, and that of Β be Δ; I say that between Α, Β there are two mean proportional numbers, and Α has to Β a triplicate ratio of that which Γ has to Δ. For let Γ by multiplying itself make Ε, and by multiplying Δ make Ζ, and let Δ by multiplying itself make Η, and let each of Γ, Δ by multiplying Ζ make each of Θ, Κ.
καὶ ἐπεὶ κύβος ἐστὶν ὁ Α, πλευρὰ δὲ αὐτοῦ ὁ Γ, καὶ ὁ Γ ἑαυτὸν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Ε πεποίηκεν, ὁ Γ ἄρα ἑαυτὸν μὲν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Ε πεποίηκεν, τὸν δὲ Ε πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Α πεποίηκεν.
And since Α is a cube, and its side is Γ, and Γ by multiplying itself has made Ε, therefore Γ by multiplying itself has made Ε, and by multiplying Ε has made Α.
διὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ καὶ ὁ Δ ἑαυτὸν μὲν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Η πεποίηκεν, τὸν δὲ Η πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Β πεποίηκεν.
For the same reasons also Δ by multiplying itself has made Η, and by multiplying Η has made Β.
καὶ ἐπεὶ ὁ Γ ἑκάτερον τῶν Γ, Δ πολλαπλασιάσας ἑκάτερον τῶν Ε, Ζ πεποίηκεν, ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ, οὕτως ὁ Ε πρὸς τὸν Ζ. διὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ καὶ ὡς ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ, οὕτως ὁ Ζ πρὸς τὸν Η. πάλιν, ἐπεὶ ὁ Γ ἑκάτερον τῶν Ε, Ζ πολλαπλασιάσας ἑκάτερον τῶν Α, Θ πεποίηκεν, ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς ὁ Ε πρὸς τὸν Ζ, οὕτως ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Θ. ὡς δὲ ὁ Ε πρὸς τὸν Ζ, οὕτως ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ·
And since Γ by multiplying each of Γ, Δ has made each of Ε, Ζ, therefore, as Γ is to Δ, so is Ε to Ζ. For the same reasons also, as Γ is to Δ, so is Ζ to Η. Again, since Γ by multiplying each of Ε, Ζ has made each of Α, Θ, therefore, as Ε is to Ζ, so is Α to Θ. But, as Ε is to Ζ, so is Γ to Δ; therefore also, as Γ is to Δ, so is Α to Θ.
καὶ ὡς ἄρα ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ, οὕτως ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Θ. πάλιν, ἐπεὶ ἑκάτερος τῶν Γ, Δ τὸν Ζ πολλαπλασιάσας ἑκάτερον τῶν Θ, Κ πεποίηκεν, ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ, οὕτως ὁ Θ πρὸς τὸν Κ. πάλιν, ἐπεὶ ὁ Δ ἑκάτερον τῶν Ζ, Η πολλαπλασιάσας ἑκάτερον τῶν Κ, Β πεποίηκεν, ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς ὁ Ζ πρὸς τὸν Η, οὕτως ὁ Κ πρὸς τὸν Β. ὡς δὲ ὁ Ζ πρὸς τὸν Η, οὕτως ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ·
Again, since each of Γ, Δ by multiplying Ζ has made each of Θ, Κ, therefore, as Γ is to Δ, so is Θ to Κ. Again, since Δ by multiplying each of Ζ, Η has made each of Κ, Β, therefore, as Ζ is to Η, so is Κ to Β. But, as Ζ is to Η, so is Γ to Δ; therefore also, as Γ is to Δ, so is both Α to Θ, Θ to Κ, and Κ to Β.
καὶ ὡς ἄρα ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ, οὕτως ὅ τε Α πρὸς τὸν Θ καὶ ὁ Θ πρὸς τὸν Κ καὶ ὁ Κ πρὸς τὸν Β. τῶν Α, Β ἄρα δύο μέσοι ἀνάλογόν εἰσιν οἱ Θ, Κ. λέγω δή, ὅτι καὶ ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Β τριπλασίονα λόγον ἔχει ἤπερ ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ. ἐπεὶ γὰρ τέσσαρες ἀριθμοὶ ἀνάλογόν εἰσιν οἱ Α, Θ, Κ, Β, ὁ Α ἄρα πρὸς τὸν Β τριπλασίονα λόγον ἔχει ἤπερ ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Θ. ὡς δὲ ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Θ, οὕτως ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ· καὶ ὁ Α πρὸς τὸν Β τριπλασίονα λόγον ἔχει ἤπερ ὁ Γ πρὸς τὸν Δ. ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
Therefore between Α, Β there are two mean proportional numbers Θ, Κ. I say next that Α also has to Β a triplicate ratio of that which Γ has to Δ. For since the four numbers Α, Θ, Κ, Β are in proportion, therefore Α has to Β a triplicate ratio of that which Α has to Θ. But, as Α is to Θ, so is Γ to Δ; therefore Α also has to Β a triplicate ratio of that which Γ has to Δ; which was to be proved.

Notes

  1. 8.prop.11διπλασίονα λόγον — Means "duplicate ratio," corresponding to the modern "ratio of the squares." In ancient Greek mathematics, if a ratio ¦A:B¦ is the ¦διπλασίων λόγος¦ of ¦a:b¦, it means ¦A:B = a^2:b^2¦, conceptualized as compounding the ratio with itself.
  2. 8.prop.12τριπλασίονα λόγον — Means "triplicate ratio," corresponding to the modern "ratio of the cubes." It denotes that a ratio ¦A:B¦ is equal to ¦a^3:b^3¦ when compared to a basic ratio ¦a:b¦, derived from compounding the ratio three times.
  3. 8.prop.11ὁ Γ γὰρ τὸν Δ πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Ε ποιείτω — An active construction command meaning "For let Γ by multiplying Δ make Ε." The active aorist participle ¦πολλαπλασιάσας¦ modifies the subject ¦ὁ Γ¦ and takes ¦τὸν Δ¦ as its direct object. In Greek mathematical prose, multiplication is syntactically structured as an active operation where "number A, having multiplied B, makes C."

Cite this passage

Euclid, Elements §8.prop.11-8.prop.12. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1799.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.prop.11-8.prop.12

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.