Constructions for inscribed and circumscribed figures: Book 4 Proposition 16
Translations
Εἰς τὸν δοθέντα κύκλον πεντεκαιδεκάγωνον ἰσόπλευρόν τε καὶ ἰσογώνιον ἐγγράψαι. Ἔστω ὁ δοθεὶς κύκλος ὁ ΑΒΓΔ: δεῖ δὴ εἰς τὸν ΑΒΓΔ κύκλον πεντεκαιδεκάγωνον ἰσόπλευρόν τε καὶ ἰσογώνιον ἐγγράψαι. Ἐγγεγράφθω εἰς τὸν ΑΒΓΔ κύκλον τριγώνου μὲν ἰσοπλεύρου τοῦ εἰς αὐτὸν ἐγγραφομένου πλευρὰ ἡ ΑΓ, πενταγώνου δὲ ἰσοπλεύρου ἡ ΑΒ: οἵων ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ ΑΒΓΔ κύκλος ἴσων τμημάτων δεκαπέντε, τοιούτων ἡ μὲν ΑΒΓ περιφέρεια τρίτον οὖσα τοῦ κύκλου ἔσται πέντε, ἡ δὲ ΑΒ περιφέρεια πέμπτον οὖσα τοῦ κύκλου ἔσται τριῶν: λοιπὴ ἄρα ἡ ΒΓ τῶν ἴσων δύο. τετμήσθω ἡ ΒΓ δίχα κατὰ τὸ Ε: ἑκατέρα ἄρα τῶν ΒΕ, ΕΓ περιφερειῶν πεντεκαιδέκατόν ἐστι τοῦ ΑΒΓΔ κύκλου. Ἐὰν ἄρα ἐπιζεύξαντες τὰς ΒΕ, ΕΓ ἴσας αὐταῖς κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς εὐθείας ἐναρμόσωμεν εἰς τὸν ΑΒΓΔ[Ε] κύκλον, ἔσται εἰς αὐτὸν ἐγγεγραμμένον πεντεκαιδεκάγωνον ἰσόπλευρόν τε καὶ ἰσογώνιον: ὅπερ ἔδει ποιῆσαι. Ὁμοίως δὲ τοῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ πενταγώνου ἐὰν διὰ τῶν κατὰ τὸν κύκλον διαιρέσεων ἐφαπτομένας τοῦ κύκλου ἀγάγωμεν, περιγραφήσεται περὶ τὸν κύκλον πεντεκαιδεκάγωνον ἰσόπλευρόν τε καὶ ἰσογώνιον. ἔτι δὲ διὰ τῶν ὁμοίων τοῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ πενταγώνου δείξεων καὶ εἰς τὸ δοθὲν πεντεκαιδεκάγωνον κύκλον ἐγγράψομέν τε καὶ περιγράψομεν: ὅπερ ἔδει ποιῆσαι.
In a given circle to inscribe a fifteen-angled figure which shall be both equilateral and equiangular. Let ABCD be the given circle; thus it is required to inscribe in the circle ABCD a fifteenangled figure which shall be both equilateral and equiangular. In the circle ABCD let there be inscribed a side AC of the equilateral triangle inscribed in it, and a side AB of an equilateral pentagon; therefore, of the equal segments of which there are fifteen in the circle ABCD, there will be five in the circumference ABC which is one-third of the circle, and there will be three in the circumference AB which is one-fifth of the circle; therefore in the remainder BC there will be two of the equal segments. Let BC be bisected at E; [III. 30] therefore each of the circumferences BE, EC is a fifteenth of the circle ABCD. If therefore we join BE, EC and fit into the circle ABCD straight lines equal to them and in contiguity, a fifteen-angled figure which is both equilateral and equiangular will have been inscribed in it. Q. E. F. And, in like manner as in the case of the pentagon, if through the points of division on the circle we draw tangents to the circle, there will be circumscribed about the circle a fifteen-angled figure which is equilateral and equiangular.