Book V, Proposition 24

If a first magnitude have to a second the same ratio as a third has to a fourth, and also a fifth have to the second the same ratio as a sixth to the fourth, the first and fifth added together will have to the second the same ratio as the third and sixth have to the fourth.

Ἐὰν πρῶτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἔχῃ λόγον καὶ τρίτον πρὸς τέταρτον, ἔχῃ δὲ καὶ πέμπτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον καὶ ἕκτον πρὸς τέταρτον, καὶ συντεθὲν πρῶτον καὶ πέμπτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἕξει λόγον καὶ τρίτον καὶ ἕκτον πρὸς τέταρτον. Πρῶτον γὰρ τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς δεύτερον τὸ Γ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐχέτω λόγον καὶ τρίτον τὸ ΔΕ πρὸς τέταρτον τὸ Ζ, ἐχέτω δὲ καὶ πέμπτον τὸ ΒΗ πρὸς δεύτερον τὸ Γ τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον καὶ ἕκτον τὸ ΕΘ πρὸς τέταρτον τὸ Ζ: λέγω, ὅτι καὶ συντεθὲν πρῶτον καὶ πέμπτον τὸ ΑΗ πρὸς δεύτερον τὸ Γ τὸν αὐτὸν ἕξει λόγον, καὶ τρίτον καὶ ἕκτον τὸ ΔΘ πρὸς τέταρτον τὸ Ζ. Ἐπεὶ γάρ ἐστιν ὡς τὸ ΒΗ πρὸς τὸ Γ, οὕτως τὸ ΕΘ πρὸς τὸ Ζ, ἀνάπαλιν ἄρα ὡς τὸ Γ πρὸς τὸ ΒΗ, οὕτως τὸ Ζ πρὸς τὸ ΕΘ. ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐστιν ὡς τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς τὸ Γ, οὕτως τὸ ΔΕ πρὸς τὸ Ζ, ὡς δὲ τὸ Γ πρὸς τὸ ΒΗ, οὕτως τὸ Ζ πρὸς τὸ ΕΘ, δι' ἴσου ἄρα ἐστὶν ὡς τὸ ΑΒ πρὸς τὸ ΒΗ, οὕτως τὸ ΔΕ πρὸς τὸ ΕΘ. καὶ ἐπεὶ διῃρημένα μεγέθη ἀνάλογόν ἐστιν, καὶ συντεθέντα ἀνάλογον ἔσται: ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς τὸ ΑΗ πρὸς τὸ ΗΒ, οὕτως τὸ ΔΘ πρὸς τὸ ΘΕ. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ὡς τὸ ΒΗ πρὸς τὸ Γ, οὕτως τὸ ΕΘ πρὸς τὸ Ζ: δι' ἴσου ἄρα ἐστὶν ὡς τὸ ΑΗ πρὸς τὸ Γ, οὕτως τὸ ΔΘ πρὸς τὸ Ζ. Ἐὰν ἄρα πρῶτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἔχῃ λόγον καὶ τρίτον πρὸς τέταρτον, ἔχῃ δὲ καὶ πέμπτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον καὶ ἕκτον πρὸς τέταρτον, καὶ συντεθὲν πρῶτον καὶ πέμπτον πρὸς δεύτερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἕξει λόγον καὶ τρίτον καὶ ἕκτον πρὸς τέταρτον: ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι. If a first magnitude have to a second the same ratio as a third has to a fourth, and also a fifth have to the second the same ratio as a sixth to the fourth, the first and fifth added together will have to the second the same ratio as the third and sixth have to the fourth. Let a first magnitude AB have to a second C the same ratio as a third DE has to a fourth F; and let also a fifth BG have to the second C the same ratio as a sixth EH has to the fourth F; I say that the first and fifth added together, AG, will have to the second C the same ratio as the third and sixth, DH, has to the fourth F. For since, as BG is to C, so is EH to F, inversely, as C is to BG, so is F to EH. Since, then, as AB is to C, so is DE to F, and, as C is to BG, so is F to EH, therefore, ex aequali, as AB is to BG, so is DE to EH. [V. 22] And, since the magnitudes are proportional separando, they will also be proportional componendo; [V. 18] therefore, as AG is to GB, so is DH to HE. But also, as BG is to C, so is EH to F; therefore, ex aequali, as AG is to C, so is DH to F. [V. 22]

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