Instrument for squaring the circle, doubling the cube and trisecting an angle
Date
11 April 1700
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p13
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 367mm
width (page): 232mm
width (page): 232mm
Subject
Description
At the meeting on 8 May 1700, Robert Hooke read a paper by Du Verger, who claimed to solve the three classical problems on constructions using a ruler and compass only (squaring the circle, doubling the cube and trisecting an angle – all now known to be impossible). Du Verger (probably the same as the author Verger) of Nouvelle approximation de la Quadrature du Cercle (Nantes, 1692), suggested that curves, as shown here, created by instruments described in the subsequent pages, could help solve these problems.
Transcription
Descriptio Instrumenti cuiusdam ad solvendum tria problemata geometrica, viz.,
De Quadratura Circuli
De Duplicatione Cubi
De Trisectione Anguil
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
De Quadratura Circuli
De Duplicatione Cubi
De Trisectione Anguil
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
8 May 1700, 'Dr Hook read a letter from Monsr Le L'Fevure, sent from Monsr Du Verger Gallo in Latin, concerning doubling the cube & squaring the circle; dated Rome April 11: 1700' (JBO/10/181).
Related fellows
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Associated place