The Surveyor in Foure Bookes (1616) - Page 25

DEFIN. XXVIII.

All other four-sided figures, besides those formerly defined, are called TRAPEZIA, or tables.

Euclid, Book 1, Def. 34. Ramus, 10. 14.

As all figures of four sides which are made at random, without respect or regard of equality or inequality, or observation of order in their lines or angles; they are therefore called irregular figures, as these figures A and B are.

Two irregular four-sided polygons labeled A and B.

DEFIN. XXIX.

Many-sided figures are those which have more sides than four.

Three polygons labeled A (pentagon), B (hexagon), and C (heptagon).

Euclid, Book 1, Def. 23. Ramus, 11. 14.

Of these, infinite sorts may be described by the addition of lines; but if they contain above four sides, they are generally called polygona, but named particularly according to the number of their sides: As the figure A is called a pentagon, because it is contained by five sides; the figure B a hexagon, being contained under six lines; and C is called a heptagon, because it is contained under seven sides. And the like of others. PROB. 62, 95.

DEFIN. XXX.

Either of those parallelograms which are about the diameter of a parallelogram, together with the two supplements, is called a gnomon.

Euclid, Book 2, Def. 2.

Rightly to conceive this definition, it is requisite first to understand what those parallelograms are which are said to be about the diameter of a parallelogram; and likewise, what supplements are.