Geometry
Curated By: Ethan
Curated By: Ethan
Portrait of Euclid, author of The Elements.
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Geometry was used as an explanation for the properties of shapes in the world around us. Geometry was first discovered by a man named Thales of Miletus. Thales was the first person to be credited in the history of mathematics (According to James Lightner, 2001). After Thales there was Pythagoras who created the pythagorean theorem. Following Pythagoras was Euclid, who wrote a book called The Elements which included several theorems now widely accepted. Geometry itself was made by taking real world properties and shapes and turning them into formulas to explain why shapes act the way they do.
Geometry’s first impact on civilization was its usage of proof. Geometry was one of the first systems widely accepted that was able to back itself up. Civilizations during this time period used to blame everything on the will of their respective gods (As said by Vassilis Karasmanis, 2000). Geometry was one of the first tools to need evidence to back up the claims being made. Now, showing work is mandatory in almost any math class, especially geometry.
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A picture of the Parthenon, an impressive feat of Greek architecture.
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Geometry fundamentally changed architecture. Architecture is built off of geometry. Architecture requires precise measurements and an understanding of structural integrity which geometry provides in full. Before geometry, buildings were usually designed by priests and were all used for religious purposes (As said by Michael Anderson, 2012). While these buildings are still beautiful in their own right, geometry had actual architects working on these projects allowing for the beauty of these buildings to be seen in a new light. Ancient Greece used geometry to develop 3 styles of column: doric, ionic, and Corinthian. These columns were designed with structural integrity in mind while also being pieces of art. An example of Greek architecture is the Parthenon, which used doric columns to support the roof and also provide artwork. Geometry allowed architecture to flourish in a way that was never seen before in this time period.
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