Book I, Proposition 25

If two triangles have the two sides equal to two sides respectively, but have the base greater than the base, they will also have the one of the angles contained by the equal straight lines greater than the other.

Ἐὰν δύο τρίγωνα τὰς δύο πλευρὰς δυσὶ πλευραῖς ἴσας ἔχῃ ἑκατέραν ἑκατέρᾳ, τὴν δὲ βάσιν τῆς βάσεως μείζονα ἔχῃ, καὶ τὴν γωνίαν τῆς γωνίας μείζονα ἕξει τὴν ὑπὸ τῶν ἴσων εὐθειῶν περιεχομένην. Ἔστω δύο τρίγωνα τὰ ΑΒΓ, ΔΕΖ τὰς δύο πλευρὰς τὰς ΑΒ, ΑΓ ταῖς δύο πλευραῖς ταῖς ΔΕ, ΔΖ ἴσας ἔχοντα ἑκατέραν ἑκατέρᾳ, τὴν μὲν ΑΒ τῇ ΔΕ, τὴν δὲ ΑΓ τῇ ΔΖ: βάσις δὲ ἡ ΒΓ βάσεως τῆς ΕΖ μείζων ἔστω: λέγω, ὅτι καὶ γωνία ἡ ὑπὸ ΒΑΓ γωνίας τῆς ὑπὸ ΕΔΖ μείζων ἐστίν: Εἰ γὰρ μή, ἤτοι ἴση ἐστὶν αὐτῇ ἢ ἐλάσσων: ἴση μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ὑπὸ ΒΑΓ τῇ ὑπὸ ΕΔΖ: ἴση γὰρ ἂν ἦν καὶ βάσις ἡ ΒΓ βάσει τῇ ΕΖ: οὐκ ἔστι δέ. οὐκ ἄρα ἴση ἐστὶ γωνία ἡ ὑπὸ ΒΑΓ τῇ ὑπὸ ΕΔΖ: οὐδὲ μὴν ἐλάσσων ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπὸ ΒΑΓ τῆς ὑπὸ ΕΔΖ: ἐλάσσων γὰρ ἂν ἦν καὶ βάσις ἡ ΒΓ βάσεως τῆς ΕΖ: οὐκ ἔστι δέ: οὐκ ἄρα ἐλάσσων ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπὸ ΒΑΓ γωνία τῆς ὑπὸ ΕΔΖ. ἐδείχθη δὲ ὅτι οὐδὲ ἴση: μείζων ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπὸ ΒΑΓ τῆς ὑπὸ ΕΔΖ. Ἐὰν ἄρα δύο τρίγωνα τὰς δύο πλευρὰς δυσὶ πλευραῖς ἴσας ἔχῃ ἑκατέραν ἑκάτερᾳ, τὴν δὲ βάσιν τῆς βάσεως μείζονα ἔχῃ, καὶ τὴν γωνίαν τῆς γωνίας μείζονα ἕξει τὴν ὑπὸ τῶν ἴσων εὐθειῶν περιεχομένην: ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.

If two triangles have the two sides equal to two sides respectively, but have the base greater than the base, they will also have the one of the angles contained by the equal straight lines greater than the other. Let ABC, DEF be two triangles having the two sides AB, AC equal to the two sides DE, DF respectively, namely AB to DE, and AC to DF; and let the base BC be greater than the base EF; I say that the angle BAC is also greater than the angle EDF. For, if not, it is either equal to it or less. Now the angle BAC is not equal to the angle EDF; for then the base BC would also have been equal to the base EF, [I. 4] but it is not; therefore the angle BAC is not equal to the angle EDF. Neither again is the angle BAC less than the angle EDF; for then the base BC would also have been less than the base EF, [I. 24] but it is not; therefore the angle BAC is not less than the angle EDF. But it was proved that it is not equal either; therefore the angle BAC is greater than the angle EDF. Therefore etc.

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