Proposition: Prop. 10.082: Construction of Minor is Unique

(Proposition 82 from Book 10 of Euclid's “Elements”)

Only one straight line, which is incommensurable in square with the whole, and (together) with the whole makes the (sum of the) squares on them rational, and twice the (rectangle contained) by them medial, can be attached to a minor (straight line).

fig079e

Modern Formulation

In other words, \[\sqrt{\frac{1+\alpha}{2\sqrt{1+\alpha^2}}} - \sqrt{\frac{1-\alpha}{2\sqrt{1+\alpha^2}}} =\sqrt{\frac{1+\beta}{2\sqrt{1+\beta^2}}} - \sqrt{\frac{1-\beta}{2\sqrt{1+\beta^2}}}\] has only one solution: i.e., \[\beta=\alpha,\] where \(\alpha,\beta\) denote positive rational numbers.

Notes

This proposition corresponds to [Prop. 10.45], with minus signs instead of plus signs.

Proofs: 1

Propositions: 1


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References

Adapted from (subject to copyright, with kind permission)

  1. Fitzpatrick, Richard: Euclid's "Elements of Geometry"

Adapted from CC BY-SA 3.0 Sources:

  1. Prime.mover and others: "Pr∞fWiki", https://proofwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page, 2016