The Cube's Diagonal in Sesquialteral Proportion
A Pythagorean proof relating the cube's diagonal to a face diagonal
This leaf proves that the diagonal of a cube stands in sesquialteral (2:3) proportion of power to the diagonal of one of its faces. Using right triangles and the last proposition of Book I of the Elements, Leonardo shows that side a c is worth 3 squares while b c is worth 2, giving the 2:3 ratio, and that a d alone equals the other three sides a c, b d and c b. He extends the result to the figure a c d e f b, where side a b equals all the remaining sides, noting the space n b is placed at random. Rectangles, a right triangle and a quarter-circle diagram accompany the proof.
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Diagonal of the cube versus diagonal of a face
By the right triangle a c b and the last proposition of Book I of the Elements, side a c equals the squares on b c and a b, and b c equals those on d c and b d; so a c is worth 3 such squares while b c is worth 2.
Sesquialteral (2:3) proportion of the powers
Since the diagonal a c amounts to 3 squares and b c to 2, the two stand in sesquialteral proportion, 2 to 3, as the cube's diagonal to a face diagonal.
One side worth all the others
Side a d alone equals the other three sides a c, b d and c b; and in the figure a c d e f b, side a b by itself is worth all the remaining sides, the space n b being placed at random.
