A to balance
balances E0 X
THE QUADRATURE OF THE PARABOLA 89
And E 2 0 2 : 0 2 R 2 = QO : 0H. 2 = (n+ 1): 2,
or QR o= JL 0 o E 2 .
22 n+1 22
am R 1 0 2 ),
ended at H A ,
t is,
It follows that 0 2 S = SR 2 , and so on.
Consequently 0 1 R 1 , 0 2 R 2 , 0 3 R 3 ... are divided into 1,2, 3 ...
equal parts respectively by the lines from Q meeting qE.
It follows that the difference between the circumscribed and
inscribed figures is equal to the triangle FqQ, which can be
made as small as we please by increasing the number of
divisions in Qq, i.e. in qE.
Since the area of the segment is equal to § A Eq Q, and it is
easily proved (Prop. 17) that A EqQ = 4 (triangle with same
base and equal height with segment), it follows that the area
) on;
of the segment = times the latter triangle.
It is easy to see that this solution is essentially the same as
that given in The Method (see pp. 29-30, above), only in a more
. . . + P n + 1 5
orthodox form ('geometrically speaking). For there Archi
medes took the sum of all the straight lines, as 0 1 R 1 , 0 2 R 2 ...,
as making up the segment notwithstanding that there are an
infinite number of them and straight lines have no breadth.
1" Pfl+l
+ AE n O n Q. •
consisting of
circumscribed
er, than
*
Here he takes inscribed and circumscribed trapezia propor
tional to the straight lines and having finite breadth, and then
compresses the figures together into the segment itself bjr
increasing indefinitely the number of trapezia in each figure,
i.e. diminishing their breadth indefinitely.
The procedure is equivalent to an integration, thus:
If X denote the area of the triangle FqQ, we have, if n be
nethod of ex-
IqQ (Prop. 16).
d, it has only
>f parts in Qq
mscribed and
I please. This
II the parts, as
the number of parts in Qq,
(circumscribed figure)
= sum of As QqF, QR l F 1 , QR 2 F 2 ,...
= sum of As QqF, Q0 1 R 1 , Q0 2 S,...
-Ui+(”- 1)2 h>- 2>2 +-+- 1 4
= * . X (Z 2 + 2 2 Z 2 + 3 2 Z 2 + ... + ?i 2 Z 2 ).
?rZ 2 v '
’ 5
1 -.OX
a+1 22
Similarly, we find that
(inscribed figure) = • X { Z 2 + 2 2 Z 2 + ... + (n — 1 ) 2 Z 2 }.