Spherics (Menelaus)
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Spherics (Menelaus)
Spherics (sometimes spelled sphaerics or sphaerica) is a term used in the history of mathematics for historical works on spherical geometry, exemplified by the ''Spherics'' ( ), a treatise by the Hellenistic mathematician Theodosius Theodosius ( Latinized from the Greek "Θεοδόσιος", Theodosios, "given by god") is a given name. It may take the form Teodósio, Teodosie, Teodosije etc. Theodosia is a feminine version of the name. Emperors of ancient Rome and Byzantium ... (2nd or early 1st century BC), and another treatise of the same title by Menelaus of Alexandria (). References Spherical geometry Classical geometry Spherical astronomy Greek mathematics {{geometry-stub ...
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History Of Mathematics
The history of mathematics deals with the origin of discoveries in mathematics and the History of mathematical notation, mathematical methods and notation of the past. Before the modern age and the worldwide spread of knowledge, written examples of new mathematical developments have come to light only in a few locales. From 3000 BC the Mesopotamian states of Sumer, Akkad (region), Akkad and Assyria, followed closely by Ancient Egypt and the Levantine state of Ebla began using arithmetic, algebra and geometry for purposes of taxation, commerce, trade and also in the field of astronomy to record time and formulate calendars. The earliest mathematical texts available are from Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, Egypt – ''Plimpton 322'' (Babylonian mathematics, Babylonian – 1900 BC),Friberg, J. (1981). "Methods and traditions of Babylonian mathematics. Plimpton 322, Pythagorean triples, and the Babylonian triangle parameter equations", ''Historia Mathematica'', 8, pp. 277–318. the ' ...
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Spherical Geometry
300px, A sphere with a spherical triangle on it. Spherical geometry or spherics () is the geometry of the two-dimensional surface of a sphere or the -dimensional surface of higher dimensional spheres. Long studied for its practical applications to astronomy, navigation, and geodesy, spherical geometry and the metrical tools of spherical trigonometry are in many respects analogous to Euclidean plane geometry and trigonometry, but also have some important differences. The sphere can be studied either ''extrinsically'' as a surface embedded in 3-dimensional Euclidean space (part of the study of solid geometry), or ''intrinsically'' using methods that only involve the surface itself without reference to any surrounding space. Principles In plane (Euclidean) geometry, the basic concepts are points and (straight) lines. In spherical geometry, the basic concepts are points and great circles. However, two great circles on a plane intersect in two antipodal points, unlike coplan ...
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Theodosius' Spherics
The ''Spherics'' (Ancient Greek, Greek: , ) is a three-volume treatise on spherical geometry written by the Greek mathematics, Hellenistic mathematician Theodosius of Bithynia in the 2nd or 1st century BC. Book I and the first half of Book II establish basic geometric constructions needed for spherical geometry using the tools of Euclidean geometry, Euclidean solid geometry, while the second half of Book II and Book III contain propositions relevant to astronomy as modeled by the celestial sphere. Primarily consisting of theorems which were known at least informally a couple centuries earlier, the ''Spherics'' was a foundational treatise for geometers and astronomers from its origin until the 19th century. It was continuously studied and copied in Greek manuscript for more than a millennium. It was translated into Arabic in the 9th century during the Islamic Golden Age, and thence translated into Neo Latin, Latin Latin translations of the 12th century, in 12th century Iberia, tho ...
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Greek Mathematics
Ancient Greek mathematics refers to the history of mathematical ideas and texts in Ancient Greece during Classical antiquity, classical and late antiquity, mostly from the 5th century BC to the 6th century AD. Greek mathematicians lived in cities spread around the shores of the ancient Mediterranean, from Anatolia to Italy and North Africa, but were united by Greek culture and the Ancient Greek, Greek language. The development of mathematics as a theoretical discipline and the use of deductive reasoning in Mathematical proof, proofs is an important difference between Greek mathematics and those of preceding civilizations. The early history of Greek mathematics is obscure, and traditional narratives of Theorem, mathematical theorems found before the fifth century BC are regarded as later inventions. It is now generally accepted that treatises of deductive mathematics written in Greek began circulating around the mid-fifth century BC, but the earliest complete work on the subje ...
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Theodosius Of Bithynia
Theodosius of Bithynia ( ; 2nd–1st century BC) was a Hellenistic astronomer and mathematician from Bithynia who wrote the '' Spherics'', a treatise about spherical geometry, as well as several other books on mathematics and astronomy, of which two survive, ''On Habitations'' and ''On Days and Nights''. Life Little is known about Theodosius' life. The ''Suda'' (10th-century Byzantine encyclopedia) mentioned him writing a commentary on Archimedes' ''Method'' (late 3rd century BC), and Strabo's ''Geographica'' mentioned mathematicians Hipparchus ( – ) and "Theodosius and his sons" as among the residents of Bithynia distinguished for their learning. Vitruvius (1st century BC) mentioned a sundial invented by Theodosius. Thus Theodosius lived sometime after Archimedes and before Vitruvius, likely contemporaneously with or after Hipparchus, probably sometime between 200 and 50 BC. Historically he was called Theodosius of Tripolis due to a confusing paragraph in the ''Suda'' which prob ...
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Menelaus Of Alexandria
Menelaus of Alexandria (; , ''Menelaos ho Alexandreus''; c. 70 – 140 CE) was a Greek mathematician and astronomer, the first to recognize geodesics on a curved surface as natural analogs of straight lines. Life and works Although very little is known about Menelaus's life, it is supposed that he lived in Rome, where he probably moved after having spent his youth in Alexandria. He was called ''Menelaus of Alexandria'' by both Pappus of Alexandria and Proclus, and a conversation of his with Lucius, held in Rome, is recorded by Plutarch. Ptolemy (2nd century  CE) also mentions, in his work ''Almagest'' (VII.3), two astronomical observations made by Menelaus in Rome in January of the year 98. These were occultations of the stars Spica and Beta Scorpii by the moon, a few nights apart. Ptolemy used these observations to confirm precession of the equinoxes, a phenomenon that had been discovered by Hipparchus in the 2nd century  BCE. In the 10th-century '' Kitāb al-F ...
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Spherical Geometry
300px, A sphere with a spherical triangle on it. Spherical geometry or spherics () is the geometry of the two-dimensional surface of a sphere or the -dimensional surface of higher dimensional spheres. Long studied for its practical applications to astronomy, navigation, and geodesy, spherical geometry and the metrical tools of spherical trigonometry are in many respects analogous to Euclidean plane geometry and trigonometry, but also have some important differences. The sphere can be studied either ''extrinsically'' as a surface embedded in 3-dimensional Euclidean space (part of the study of solid geometry), or ''intrinsically'' using methods that only involve the surface itself without reference to any surrounding space. Principles In plane (Euclidean) geometry, the basic concepts are points and (straight) lines. In spherical geometry, the basic concepts are points and great circles. However, two great circles on a plane intersect in two antipodal points, unlike coplan ...
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Classical Geometry
Euclidean geometry is a mathematical system attributed to ancient Greek mathematician Euclid, which he described in his textbook on geometry, '' Elements''. Euclid's approach consists in assuming a small set of intuitively appealing axioms (postulates) and deducing many other propositions (theorems) from these. One of those is the parallel postulate which relates to parallel lines on a Euclidean plane. Although many of Euclid's results had been stated earlier,. Euclid was the first to organize these propositions into a logical system in which each result is '' proved'' from axioms and previously proved theorems. The ''Elements'' begins with plane geometry, still taught in secondary school (high school) as the first axiomatic system and the first examples of mathematical proofs. It goes on to the solid geometry of three dimensions. Much of the ''Elements'' states results of what are now called algebra and number theory, explained in geometrical language. For more than two thous ...
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Spherical Astronomy
Spherical astronomy, or positional astronomy, is a branch of observational astronomy used to locate astronomical objects on the celestial sphere, as seen at a particular date, time, and location on Earth. It relies on the mathematical methods of spherical trigonometry and the measurements of astrometry. This is the oldest branch of astronomy and dates back to antiquity. Observations of celestial objects have been, and continue to be, important for religious and astrological purposes, as well as for timekeeping and navigation. The science of actually measuring positions of celestial objects in the sky is known as astrometry. The primary elements of spherical astronomy are celestial coordinate systems and time. The coordinates of objects on the sky are listed using the equatorial coordinate system, which is based on the projection of Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere. The position of an object in this system is given in terms of right ascension (α) and declination (δ). ...
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