Friday, August 13, 2010

Bisecting circles

Welcome to online math help,

The diameters "also bisects the circle" should not be part of the definition, but either assumed as a postulate or proved as a proposition. It depends on the fact that circles are drawn on planes, and planes have constant curvature. examples on math forum; The analogous figure on a surface of nonconstant curvature does not have this property. For such figures the two "semicircles" on either side of a "diameter" need not be equal.

Although circles are used throughout Book I, the proper theory of circles doesn't begin until Book III. That book begins with more definitions relating to circles including the equality of circles, when circles touch (are tangent to) lines and other circles, and so forth. more examples on online math forum.

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