Publication Date
Fall 2009
School
College of Arts and Sciences
Major
Mathematics
Disciplines
Mathematics
Recommended Citation
Allen, Ashley, "Apollonius of Perga: Historical Background and Conic Sections" (2009). Senior Honors Theses. 176.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/176
Abstract
Apollonius of Perga greatly contributed to geometry, specifically in the area of conics. Through the study of the “Golden Age” of Greek mathematics from about 300 to 200 B.C., Apollonius, who lived from about 262 to 190 B.C., is seen as an innovative geometer whose theories were eventually proved factual. By investigating his theorems on how the different kinds of conic sections are formed, the standard equations for each conic will be better understood. The achievements that have been made as a result of conics include flashlights to whispering galleries.
