Apotome
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This article is about the mathematical concept. For the musical interval, see Pythagorean apotome.
Apotomē (Greek: ἀποτοµή) is an archaic mathematical term which, according to Webster's 1828 Dictionary, is the difference of two quantities that are commensurable only in power. According to Bailey's 1761 Dictionary it is "an irrational remainder or residual when from a rational line a part is cut off which is only commensurate in power to the whole line".[1] It appears not to be in modern usage.
This concept of the Apotome appears in book X of Euclid's Elements.
[edit] References
- ^ "An Universal Etymological English Dictionary", N Bailey, London (1761):
APO'TOME [in Mathematicks] is an irrational Remainder or Residual, when from a Rational Line a Part is cut off, which is only Commensurable in Power to the whole Line.
- Webster's 1828 Dictionary
This article incorporates content from the 1728 Cyclopaedia, a publication in the public domain.
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