THEORY OF

ARCHITECTURE.
Book II.
Let AB
{fig.
2:5.).) be the given line upon which it is icquircd to describe a triangle
whose three sides shall be ecjiial.
1) ,^
^-J^!.,~^ F
From the point A, with the radius AB, describe the cir-
cumference BCD, and from the point B, with the radius BA, de-
scribe the circumference ACF; and from the point C, where
these two circumferences cut each other, draw the two right lines
CA, CB. Then ACB is an equilateral triangle.
For the line AC is e<(ual to the line AB, because these two
lines are radii of the same circle BCD; and the line BC is
iin.'ai
e(|nal to the line A B, because these two lines (Prop. 1.)
are radii of the same circle
ACF. Wherefore the lines AC and BC, being each ecjual to the line AB, are equal to one
another, and all the three sides of the triangle ACB are equal; that is, the triangle is
equilateral.
878. Piiop. III. Triangles which have two sides and the angle sjibtended or contained by
them equal are identical.
In the two triangles BAC, FDG
{fig.
236.),
if the side DF be equal to the side A B,
and the side DG equal to the side AC, and also the angle at D
equal to the angle at A, the two triangles are identical.
Suppose the triangle I'DG placed upon the triangle BAC in
5uch manner that the side DF fall exactly upon the side equal
to it, AB. Since the angle D is equal to the angle A, the side
DG must fall upon the side equal to it, AC; also the point F
^ill be found upon the point B, and the point G upon the point
C: consequently the line FG must fall wholly upon the line BC,
otherwise two right lines would enclose a space, which is im-
1*
^ ^
possible. Wherefore the three sides of the triangle I'DG coincide
Fig. 23a
in all points with the three sides of the triangle BAC, and the two triangles have their
sides and angles equal, and enclose an equal space
;
that is (Defin.
^
20.), they are identical.
879. Pkoi-. IV. In aw isosceles triangle the angles at the base are
equal.
Let the triangle BAC
{fig.
237.) have its sides AB, AC equal,
the angles B and C at the base are also equal. Conceive the
angle A to be bisected by the right line AD.
In the triangles BAD, DAC the sides AB, AC are, by sup-
position, equal ; the side AD is common to the two triangles,
and the angles at A are supposed equal. These two triangles,
therefore, have two sides, and the angle contained by them equal. Hence, they are identical
(Prop.
3),
or have all thelrparts equal : whence the angles B and C
must be equal.
880. Pjiop. V. Triangles which have
their three sides equal are identical.
In the two triangles ACB, FDG
{fig.
238.),
let the side AC be equal to the
Hide F^D, the side CB equal to the side
HG, and the side AB to the side FG
;
these two triangles are identical.
Let the two triangles be so joined
that the side FG shall coincide with the
side AB
{fig.
239.),
and draw the right
line CD. Since in the triangle CAD
the side AC is equal to the side AD,
the triangle is isoceles ; whence (Defin. 13.) the angles m and n at the base are equal.
Since in the triangle CBD the side BC is equal to the side BD, the triangle is iso-
sceles; whence (Defin.
13.) the angles r and s at the base are
equal.
Because the angle m is equal to the angle n, and the angle r
equal to the angle s, the whole angle C is equal to the whole
angle D.
Lastly, because in the two triangles ACB, ADB the side AC
is equal to the side AD and the side CB equal to the side DB,
also the angle C equal to the angle D, these two triangles have two
sides, and the contained angle equal, and are therefore (Prop.
3.)
identical.
881. Prop. VI. To divide a right line into two equal parts.
I>et the right line which it is required to divide into two equal
parts be AB
(_/?//.
240.). Upon AB draw (Prop.
2.)
the equi-
lateral triangle ADB, and on the other side of the same line