A quiz question · hard
What mathematical technique did Eudoxus of Cnidus develop to handle areas and volumes bounded by curves?
Eudoxus's *method of exhaustion* proves that the area of a curved shape equals a given value by demonstrating that any smaller value can be exceeded by an inscribed polygon, and any larger value undercut by a circumscribed polygon. It was the rigorous foundation Greek geometry used to prove statements about curves for the next two thousand years, until calculus replaced it.
Read the full story →From the story
The Greek Who Made Geometry Honest Before Eudoxus, Greek mathematicians could prove statements about simple shapes. Eudoxus invented the method that let them prove statements about curves.
Related questions
- Eudoxus of Cnidus proposed the first mathematical model of the cosmos around 365 BC. How many nested rotating spheres did the original model use to explain all observed celestial motion?
- What was the Antikythera mechanism designed to do?
- What technique in Archimedes's *Method of Mechanical Theorems* anticipated what later mathematics?
- At what UTC time did the Apollo 11 lunar module Eagle land in the Sea of Tranquility?