Definitions of arcs, chords, sagittae and circle-portions
Euclid-style definitions of equal arcs, chords and 'lune' portions, and the compass that cuts a circle into six.
This page gathers Euclid-like definitions for the geometry of the circle: equal arcs joined to equal chords make equal portions, and a 'portion' is the bi-angular surface enclosed between an arc and its chord. Leonardo notes that the opening of the compass (sesto) that draws a circle steps six times around its circumference and twice along the diameter. He defines the 'sagitta' (saetta) as the shortest line between the midpoints of arc and chord, then lists the equalities linking equal chords, arcs and sagittae. A marginal figure also shows a rectangle transformed into a square of equal area.
On this page
Equal arcs, equal chords and equal portions
Equal arcs joined to equal chords make equal portions of a circle, and portions with equal arcs and equal chords are said to be equal. The bi-angular surfaces enclosed between equal arcs and equal chords are equal to one another.
The compass steps six times round the circle
The opening of one and the same compass (sesto) divides a circle's circumference into six equal parts and the diameter into two like parts; equivalently the semi-diameter enters six times into the circumference and twice into the diameter.
The sagitta and the two kinds of bi-angular surface
The sagitta (saetta) is defined as the shortest line extending between the middle of the arc and the middle of the chord. Equal sagitta and chord have equal arcs, and the bi-angular surfaces are of two kinds: one described between two curved lines, the other between a curved and a straight line.
A rectangle transformed into a square
A figure at the top shows a rectangle, lettered b a, g n, c d, h m f, reduced to a square of equal area.
