From Euclid to Copernicus
A short history of Polish-Greek cooperation in the field of geometry
Euclid
Euclid was an ancient Greek mathematician considered as the father of geometry. His most important work is “The Elements”, which is one of the most influential mathematics textbooks in history. In the Elements, Euclid developed an axiomatic method for proving geometric theorems. His achievements in mathematics contributed to the development of science and had a huge impact on the development of mathematics for centuries.
Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) is an outstanding Polish astronomer, mathematician, lawyer, doctor and economist, whom everyone certainly knows. The creator of the heliocentric theory (the theory according to which the planets revolve around the Sun located in the center of the Solar System, and not, as previously believed, the Sun revolves around the Earth. This is why Copernicus is said to have “stopped the sun and moved the Earth”) and author work dedicated to her: On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres. His heliocentric theory revolutionized astronomy. Additionally, his work in geometry complemented the theory of proportion and influenced the development of mathematics.
The story of cooperation
Copernicus theorem
Theorem of plane geometry; it says that if a circle with a radius twice as small rolls without slipping inside a circle, then each point of the small circle moves on the diameter of the larger circle. In other words, a hypocycloid (a plane curve drawn by a fixed point of a circle rolling without slipping inside a circle with a larger radius. This curve is a special case of a hypotrochoid), in which the smaller circle is twice as small, is a segment.
“Everything that is created is created as a result of inspiration”
Summary
Euclid was famous for writing the Elements, one of the most important works of ancient mathematics, which became the basis for many later mathematicians and scientists. His book, especially the first part on geometry, had a huge impact on the development of mathematics. Copernicus, although better known as an astronomer, was also a trained mathematician and used the mathematics of Euclid and other mathematicians of his era to develop his heliocentric theory.
