Contents
Euclid
Organising geometry into a logical system of definitions, assumptions and proofs in the Elements.
Elements · Optics
- Born
- Unknown
- Birthplace
- Unknown
More people
Euclid
Euclid was a Greek mathematician associated with Alexandria around 300 BCE. His Elements brought earlier discoveries into an ordered mathematical argument. Almost nothing certain survives about his private life, but his approach to proof shaped mathematics for centuries.
Early life
Uncertain origins
His birthplace and birth date are unknown; ancient accounts of his life were written much later.
Greek geometry
His writings draw on the mathematical traditions of earlier Greek scholars; a specific school or teacher cannot be established.
Career
- Around 300 BCE
Alexandrian mathematics
Traditionally placed in Alexandria under Ptolemy I, developing systematic treatments of geometry and related subjects.
- Around 300 BCE
A body of treatises
His surviving writings range from mathematical foundations to the geometry of vision; their internal chronology is uncertain.
Contributions
Elements
Thirteen books develop geometry, proportions and number theory through proofs.
Optics
Examines apparent size and perspective through geometrical reasoning.
Data
Studies what follows when particular properties of a geometrical figure are given.
Beyond mathematics
A different Euclid
He was repeatedly confused with Euclid of Megara, an earlier philosopher.
The royal-road story
The famous reply that geometry has no royal shortcut comes from a later anecdote, not a contemporary record.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Institutional biography and research ↗Photo: Jusepe de Ribera (Spanish / Italian, 1591 - 1652) (1591 - 1652) – artist (Spanish / Italian) Details on Google Art Project; historical depiction, not a contemporary photograph. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
