XIII.

"A term or boundary is the extremity of any thing."

XIV.

A figure is that which is inclosed by one or more boundaries.

XV.

A circle is a plane figure contained by one line, which is called the circumference, and is such that all straight lines drawn from a certain point within the figure to the circumference, are equal to one another.

XVI.

And this point is called the centre of the circle.

XVII.

A diameter of a circle is a straight line drawn through the centre, and terminated both ways by the circumference.

XVIII.

A semicircle is the figure contained by a diameter and the part of the circumference cut off by the diameter.

XIX.

"A segment of a circle is the figure contained by a straight line, and the circumference it cuts off."

66

XX.

Rectilineal figures are those which are contained by straight lines.

XXI.

Trilateral figures, or triangles, by three straight lines.

XXII.

Quadrilateral, by four straight lines.

XXIII.

Multilateral figures, or polygons, by more than four straight lines.

XXIV.

Of three-sided figures, an equilateral triangle is that which has three equal sides.

XXV.

An isosceles triangle is that which has only two sides equal.

XXVI.

A scalene triangle, is that which has three unequal sides.

XXVII.

A right-angled triangle, is that which has a right angle.

XXVIII.

An obtuse-angled triangle, is that which has an obtuse angle.

XXIX.

An acute-angled triangle, is that which has three acute angles.

XXX.

Of four-sided figures, a square is that which has all its sides equal, and all its angles right angles.

XXXI.

An oblong, is that which has all its angles right angles, but

has not all its sides equal.

XXXII.

A rhombus, is that which has all its sides equal, but its angles are not right angles.

XXXIII.

A rhomboid, is that which has its opposite sides equal to one another, but all its sides are not equal, nor its angles right angles.

XXXIV.

All other four-sided figures besides these, are called Trapeziums.

XXXV.

Parallel straight lines, are such as are in the same plane, and which, being produced ever so far both ways, do

not meet.

POSTULATES.
I.

Let it be granted that a straight line may be drawn from any one point to any other point.

That a terminated straight line may be produced to any length in a straight line.

III.

And that a circle may be described from any centre, at any distance from that centre.

AXIOMS.
I.

Things which are equal to the same are equal to one another.

II.

If equals be added to equals, the wholes are equal.

III.

If equals be taken from equals, the remainders are equal.

IV.

If equals be added to unequals, the wholes are unequal.

V.

If equals be taken from unequals, the remainders are unequal.

VI.

Things which are double of the same, are equal to one another.

VII.

Things which are halves of the same, are equal to one another.

VIII.

Magnitudes which coincide with one another, that is, which exactly fill the same space, are equal to one another.

IX.

The whole is greater than its part.

X.

Two straight lines cannot inclose a space.

XI.

All right angles are equal to one another.

XII.

"If a straight line meets two straight lines, so as to make "the two interior angles on the same side of it taken "together less than two right angles, these straight "lines being continually produced, shall at length meet 66 upon that side on which are the angles which are less "than two right angles."

PROPOSITIONS.

PROPOSITION I.

PROBLEM.-To describe an equilateral triangle upon a given finite straight line.

Let AB be the given straight line; it is required to describe an equilateral triangle upon it.

From the centre A, at the

distance AB, describe* the circle BCD, and from the centre B, at the distance BA, describe the circle ACE; and from the point C, in which the circles cut one another, draw the straight lines† CA, CB, to the points

A, B: ABC shall be an equilateral triangle.

Because the point A is the centre of the circle BCD,

* 3 Postulate.

+1 Post.

AC is equal to AB; and because the point B is the centre ‡ 15 Definiof the circle ACE, BC is equal to BA:

But it has been proved that CA is equal to AB; there

fore CA, CB are each of them equal to AB;

But things which are equal to the same are equal to one

tion.

another; therefore CA is equal to CB; wherefore CA, || 1 Axiom. AB, BC are equal to one another; and the triangle ABC is therefore equilateral, and it is described upon the given straight line AB. Which was required to be done.

PROPOSITION II.

PROB. From a given point to draw a straight line equal to a given straight line.

Let A be the given point, and BC the given straight line; it is required to draw from the point A a straight line equal to BC.