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Chapter 5
Euclid’s Elements
Euclid (also called Eukleides or Euclid of Alexandria, c. 330–c. 260 BC) is
one of the most prominent Greek mathematicians. He is best known as the
author of Elements, which is the most inuential treatise in the history of
mathematics. However, there are no known records of the exact date and
place of Euclid’s birth, and little is known about his personal life. During
the reign of the Pharaoh Ptolemy I Soter (323–283 BC) Euclid taught
mathematics at Alexandria Library (the Mouseion) in Alexandria, Egypt.
Euclid’s Elements is considered the most comprehensive compilation of
geometry, arithmetic, and number theor ...