Drexel dragonThe Math ForumDonate to the Math Forum


Math Forum
 Ask Dr. Math
 Discussions
 Internet Newsletter
 MathTools
 Problems of the Week
 Teacher2Teacher
 Teacher Exchange
 Workshops

Search All of the Math Forum:
Browse our Internet Mathematics Library

Views expressed in these public forums are not endorsed by Drexel University or The Math Forum.


Math Forum » Discussions » Math Topics » geometry.pre-college.independent

Topic: Euclids postulates and non-Euclidean geometry
Replies: 7   Last Post: Aug 23, 2007 5:04 PM

Advanced Search
Reply to this Topic Reply to this Topic

Back to Topic List Back to Topic List Jump to Tree View Jump to Tree View   Messages: [ Previous | Next ]
Joshua Zucker

Posts: 1,450
Registered: 1/30/05
Re: Euclids postulates and non-Euclidean geometry
Posted: Mar 8, 2006 3:07 PM
  Click to see the message monospaced in plain text Plain Text   Click to reply to this topic Reply

Hi there,
I think the other reason to focus on negations of the fifth postulate,
instead of the first, is that without the first postulate we wouldn't
call what we're doing "geometry" any more.

Even WILDLY different geometries, like finite geometries, discrete
geometries, projective geometries, or what have you, all maintain that
through any two points there is a (not necessarily unique?) line.

--Joshua Zucker

Point your RSS reader here for a feed of the latest messages in this topic.

[Privacy Policy] [Terms of Use]

© Drexel University 1994-2015. All Rights Reserved.
The Math Forum is a research and educational enterprise of the Drexel University School of Education.