All of us have study the conic sections in high school. Remember the parabola, ellipse and the hyperbola? We certantly know how to graph them and how to find the equation and distiguish between the three. However do you know the history of the conic sections?
Well in order to learn about the conic sections we must go back to ancient Greece. The Greek Manaechmus is credited with the discovery of conic sections sometime between 360 and 50 B.C.E. But he only used the conics as part of his solution to a problems regarding doubling the cube. In the
following years, the conic sections were studied by Euclid, but he did not have
any major contributions to the conic sections field. The next major contributor
to the conic section theory was made by Archimedes. Yet, he only obtained a
series of theorems regarding the conics. The greatest contribution to the conics
field was made by Apollonius.
Well in order to learn about the conic sections we must go back to ancient Greece. The Greek Manaechmus is credited with the discovery of conic sections sometime between 360 and 50 B.C.E. But he only used the conics as part of his solution to a problems regarding doubling the cube. In the
following years, the conic sections were studied by Euclid, but he did not have
any major contributions to the conic sections field. The next major contributor
to the conic section theory was made by Archimedes. Yet, he only obtained a
series of theorems regarding the conics. The greatest contribution to the conics
field was made by Apollonius.
The great Apollonius of Perga man who discovered the conic sections that we know and love. He was born in 262 BCE in Perga, Pamphylia, Greek Ionia, which is better known now as Murtina, Antalya, Turkey. He died in 190 BCE in Alexandria, Egypt. He was known as “The Great Geometer” for his works on Geometry. Such work is very important to the world of mathematics. The importance of his work elevated as much as the work done by Euclid with his elements.
Apollonius published a series of eight books. Book I is like a preface for the rest of the books. On book II he used Euclid's ideas. The content of the books is very complete and rigorous in comparison to previous works done on the same subject.
In books 1-4, he worked on the generation of the curves and
their fundamental properties. In these books Apollonius defined and names the conic sections, parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola. Then he sees each of these three curves as a fundamental conic property. Also, he argues that there is an
appropriate equation for each of the curves. Additionally, on Conic
Sections established a method involving lines; such as a diameter and a
tangent. This method is considered to be the anticipation to analytical
geometry. However, Apollonius did not consider the negative magnitudes, which
are used on analytical geometry.
In books 1-4, he worked on the generation of the curves and
their fundamental properties. In these books Apollonius defined and names the conic sections, parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola. Then he sees each of these three curves as a fundamental conic property. Also, he argues that there is an
appropriate equation for each of the curves. Additionally, on Conic
Sections established a method involving lines; such as a diameter and a
tangent. This method is considered to be the anticipation to analytical
geometry. However, Apollonius did not consider the negative magnitudes, which
are used on analytical geometry.