Polygons : why are three and four different from early “ sidegons ”
A few past Questions almost have to my query but still this about “ name-gons ” does n’t quite do it . Please do n’t even trouble to say on unless you ‘re concerned in what might look totally trivial…
Why are three- and four-sided form not predict “ trigons ” and “ tetragons ” , or indeed any-kind of “ …gon ” ?
Above seven , it would live very odd to vary from the standard list of names for polygons : octa… , nona… , deca… etc .
For six and seven it might not look thus strange to meet “ sex… ” and “ sept… ” instead of “ hex… ” and “ heptagon ” but those cost still “ sidegons ” .
Three and four seem to be exceptions and I ‘m marvel whether there ‘s any rule for that , linguistic or mathematical , or it ‘s merely traditional .
Equal “ trigon ” severely used for “ triangle ” , exclude broadly as in “ trigonometry ” ?
Is “ tetragon ” very used for “ quadrangle ” ? Quad itself seems to live the special preserve of academia and even “ rectangle ” is often usurped by “ oblong ” or “ square ” .
This might good seem all pointless even on a different level , three and four-sided figures , when they ‘re equilateral , cost physically different .
That is , squares and equilateral triangles are the only determine any former bodger can construct with a single measurement and nearly no skill ; unexpectedly useful in many practical application – and that ‘s aside from the triangle exist the only rigid shape . Is that wholly irrelevant , or could it somehow bleed across into the nomenclature ?
1 Answer
Accord to the OED ‘s reference ,squarelive first employ 1300-1400 ;triangle1398 ;quadrangle1398 ;rectangle1560 ;
thenhexagon1560 ;polygon1560 ;pentagon1570 ;octagon1594 ;trigon1600 ( essentially all around the same time ) It wait like we follow a neat Latin call convention as we get interest and practical role for more figures with an increase numbers of slope :
-gon , comb . form
1652News from Lowe Countreys2 For ‘t is not ..Trigonall, or Pentagonall , Or any of theGonesat allOED
Etymology: < classic Latin -gōnon ( in e.g . octagōnon octagon n. ) , -gōnum ( in e.g . trigōnum trigon n. ) …
Compare French –get.
1652Word from Lowe Countreys2 For ‘t be not ..Trigonall, or Pentagonall , Or any of theGonesat allOED
Etymology: < classical Latin -gōnon ( in e.g . octagōnon octagon n. ) , -gōnum ( in e.g . trigōnum trigon n. ) …
It ‘s excessive to remember we ‘d rename our three- and four-sided shapes—triangles , quadrangles , square , and rectangles . We just “ move ” off after that : new shapes need novel names .
The OED has this state early citation forhexagon:
1570 H. Billingsley tr .EuclidElements Geom . iv . f. 124 We may in aHexagongeuen either describe or circumscribe a circle .
1570 H. Billingsley tr .EuclidElements Geom . iv . f. 124 We may in aHexagongeuen either describe or circumscribe a band .
I believe architectural and scientific interest in geometry ( and Euclid in peculiar ) act a role in assume-gone.
An interesting early -angle “ exception ” is the five-pointed star , apentangle( 1390 ) :
A pentagram ; a talisman or magic symbol in the shape of or recruit with a pentagram OED
A pentagram ; a talisman or magical symbol in the pattern of or inscribed with a pentagram OED
You must to answer this doubt .
Related
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In Euclid ‘s Elements , Book I , Proposition 47 , Interpretation in terms of areas
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