Thales of Miletus

Thales of Miletus was born in 624 B.C. and died in 546 B.C. . He is considered as one of the first philosopher of western civilization and creator of researches of nature as science. He is one of the „Seven Sages of Greece” in antiguity and also representative the lonian philosophy of nature. Generally, he was associated as the first philosopher, because he appeled more to the nature and intelligence than to the mythology and tradition.

He was the first person, who announced general results concerned mathematics objects. First of all he was interested in geometric figures such as wheels and triangles. He proved that to every triangle we can attribute a circle, which goes trough a three vertices of triangle and he proposed a general rule of construction.

According to ancient, to Thales we can attribute those theories:

1. Angle which is entered in a circle and based on his diameter is the right angle.

2. Diameter shares a circle on two halves.

3. When straight lines across, two point angles are equal.

4. Two angles near baseline in isosceles triangle are equal.

5. If in two triangles, one side and adjacent to this triangle angles, are equal, then this triangles are congruent.

In the Thales theory in geometry elementary says that: If angle's sides cut two parallels, that length segments determined by that straight lines on one angle's side are proportional to the length of appropriate segments on the second side of triangle.

Theory of Tales is considered as one of the most crucial theories in euclidean geometry. The oldest extant proof of Thales theory is published in VI. Book of Euclid's Elements.

It is small likely, that he left some papers. Our knowledge about Thales comes from next record, messages about his life is not so many, this is generally traditional records, which are not proved. Aristotle passed on most of Thales philosophical thoughts.

Aphorisms:

•What is difficult? To know yourself.•What is easy? Give advice to your friend.•What is the most pleasant? To achieve something the most you wished.•What is divine? Something that hasn’t beginning and hasn’t end.•Which view is the most ususual? Tyrant, who reached an elderly.•How can we carry down disaster? To see enemies in bigger disaster.•How can we live better and more justly? Do not do other person something that we reprimand.•Who is happy? Someone who has healthy body, rich soul and nature susceptible to education.

DictionaryAntiguity – starożytność isosceles trangle – trójkąt równoramiennyIonian – joński point angles – kąty wierzchołkowe Eclipse – zaćmienie entered – wpisany appeal – odwoływać się circle – okrąg Attitude – nastawienie based – oparty Acquaint – zapoznać się right angle – kąt prosty Announce – ogłosić adjacent – przyległy Concern – dotyczyć congruent – przystający Attribute – przypisać parallels – równoległe Vertices - wierzchołki segment – odcinek Diameter – średnica determined – wyznaczony Angles – kąty straight – prosta Baseline – podstawa appropriate – odpowiedni Extant – zachowany divine – boski Proof – dowód

Thank You Authors: Julia Krystosiak Dorota Szagżdowicz Andrzej Mrozik

Sources: http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_z_Miletuhttp://www.math.edu.pl/tales-z-miletu