Rekhaganit

Author(s): Atmaram Babu
Publisher: Atmaram Babu

Page 4

PREFACE
In thus presenting to students and teachers a new elementary work in Urdu on the principles of Geometry, it can hardly be necessary to defend ourselves for having made Euclid's Elements the basis ofthework. For while it cannot de nied that many defects and difficulties occurin the Elements, and that these become more obvious the more closely we examine the work, it must, onthe other hand, be acknowledged that notwithstanding the numerous attenpets which have been made by our best modern geometers to find an appropriate substitute, the “ Elements ” of Euclid has ever held the chief place in our Universities and Colleges, and is never likely to be superseded. Nearly every oificial programme of instruction or examination expressly includes some portion of this honoured work
The present edition of Euclid's Elements is prepared especially for those studying for the Normal School Certificate and the Middle Class Vernacular Examination in the North - Western Provinces and Oudh, It differsin several important particulars from other editions of the same work intended to be used as text books in the Vernacular Schools of India. First, the style has been simplified as far as possible by discarding much of the usual technical phraseology and in places where this has been necessarily retained, copious explanations have been added, especially in the Definitions. A list of all the technical terms used in the work, together with their English and Hindi equivalents, is also attache d.
Secondly muy now aaisin olor Demonstrations of the proposition have been given, in addition to those of Euclid, in order to bring the subject within the comprehension of different capacities. In nota few cases where Euclid has given only the indirect method of proof or what is culled Reductio ad absurdum--(themethod generally employed by Euclid for the
ion of converse propositions)--a direct method of p valis more satisfying and more convincing to the student hast, .n appended murdly to almost all the propositions, there have been added new rollaries, Exercises and Annotations of various k. ds, tending to render the additions a species of short running om atary on the immori "rk of Euclid.
Fourthly, in order tor move one of the most prac. 1 objections which have been urged aganist the Elements, namely, its want of methodical arrangement, a classified index: 'n appended by means of which the propositions in the
relat g to any particular subject may be immediate
In conclusion we must not omit to mention the ps .cipal works which have been cosulted, and to which the prest edition is mainly indebted for anyador ta: vb ch it may possess overits rivaIs in the same field. T works i eferred to are the edition of the Elements by Todhunter, Potts, Wallace, Playfair, Smith and Law.
It only remains for us to offer our thanks to the friends who have helpd us with their advice in the preparation of this work, and to assure each student and teacher that any suggestion for its improvement will be thankfully received by us. ALIGARH, October 1894
AR