Proof: By Euclid
(related to Proposition: 7.16: Natural Number Multiplication is Commutative)
- For since $A$ has made $C$ (by) multiplying $B$, $B$ thus measures $C$ according to the units in $A$ [Def. 7.15] .
- And the unit $E$ also measures the number $A$ according to the units in it.
- Thus, the unit $E$ measures the number $A$ as many times as $B$ (measures) $C$.
- Thus, alternately, the unit $E$ measures the number $B$ as many times as $A$ (measures) $C$ [Prop. 7.15].
- Again, since $B$ has made $D$ (by) multiplying $A$, $A$ thus measures $D$ according to the units in $B$ [Def. 7.15] .
- And the unit $E$ also measures $B$ according to the units in it.
- Thus, the unit $E$ measures the number $B$ as many times as $A$ (measures) $D$.
- And the unit $E$ was measuring the number $B$ as many times as $A$ (measures) $C$.
- Thus, $A$ measures each of $C$ and $D$ an equal number of times.
- Thus, $C$ is equal to $D$.
- (Which is) the very thing it was required to show.
∎
Thank you to the contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0!
- Github:
-
- non-Github:
- @Fitzpatrick
References
Adapted from (subject to copyright, with kind permission)
- Fitzpatrick, Richard: Euclid's "Elements of Geometry"