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Who was Euclid?

Euclid (lived c. 300 B.C.) is remembered as one of the greatest mathematicians in the world. Historians believe that Euclid probably studied at Athens under students of Greek philosopher Plato (c. 428–348 or 347 B.C.) before he founded a school of mathematics in Alexandria, Egypt, during the reign of Ptolemy I (?–283 B.C.). Euclid is best known for his work titled Elements, a thirteen-volume textbook on the principles of mathematics. They include treatises on plane geometry (a branch of geometry dealing with plane figures), proportion (the relationship among parts), astronomy (the study of stars, planets, and heavenly bodies), and music. Although no one knows if all of the work in Elements was Euclid's or if he compiled the mathematical knowledge of his colleagues (such as Eudoxus), the work formed an important part of mathematics for 2,000 years. Even today, modified versions of the first few books of...

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   2. Who was Euclid?
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