Lessons In Experimental And Practical Geometry

de H.S.Hall

From the Preface: "To give to a young pupil clear mental pictures should be the first object of geometrical teaching: to enable him to express geometrical ideas in the form and order required by strict deductive reasoning is a second and distinct object. Experience shews that these two aims may to some extent be separated with advantage; and accordingly Formal Geometry is now very generally preceded by a short preliminary course of practical and experimental work. In the preface to our School Geometry it is suggested that a suitable introduction to that book would consist of “Easy Exercises in Drawing to illustrate Definitions; Measurements of Lines and Angles; The Use of Compasses and Protractor; Problems on Bisection, Parallels, Perpendiculars; The Use of Set Squares; and the Construction of Triangles and Quadrilaterals; these problems to be informally explained, and the results verified by measurement. Concurrently there should be Exercises in Drawing and Measurement designed to lead inductively to the more important Theorems of Part I.” It is the purpose of these Lessons to supply such an introductory course."