Pappus

Pappus of Alexandria

Born: about 290 in Alexandria, Egypt
Died: about 350

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Pappus is the last of the great Greek geometers and one of his theorems is cited as the basis of modern projective geometry. His major work in geometry is Synagoge (340), a collection of mathematical writings in eight books. Book I covered arithmetic (and is lost) while Book II is mostly lost but the remaining part deals with large numbers.

In Book III he gives a construction of the arithmetic, geometric and harmonic means with a single semicircle. It also shows how each of the 5 regular polyhedra can be inscribed in a sphere. Book IV contains properties of curves including the spiral of Archimedes and the quadratrix of Hippias. and includes his trisection methods.

Book V compares the areas of figures with equal perimeters and volumes of solids with equal surface areas. Books VI and VII consider books of other authors (Theodosius, Autolycus, Aristarchus, Euclid, Apollonius, Aristaeus and Eratosthenes). Book VIII deals with mechanics.

References elsewhere in this archive:

Show me Pappus's theorem

Pappus was the first to study the focus and directrix of an ellipse. Show me this

Show me Pappus's trisection method

Show me the spiral of Archimedes

Show me the quadratrix of Hippias

Other Web sites:

Library of Congress, USA

References:

  1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  2. Biography in Encyclopaedia Britannica
  3. M Cantor, Vorlesungen über Geschichte der Mathematik I (Leipzig, 1907), 441-454.
  4. T L Heath, A History of Greek Mathematics II (Oxford, 1921), 355-439. 
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JOC/EFR February 1996