PROPOSITION 3.

If in a circle a straight line through the centre bisect a straight line not through the centre, it also cuts it at right angles; and if it cut it at right angles, it also bisects it.

Let ABC be a circle, and in it let a straight line CD through the centre bisect a straight line AB not through the centre at the point F;

I say that it also cuts it at right angles.

C D A B F E

For let the centre of the circle ABC be taken, and let it be E; let EA, EB be joined.

Then, since AF is equal to FB, and FE is common,

two sides are equal to two sides;

and the base EA is equal to the base EB;

[I. 8]therefore the angle AFE is equal to the angle BFE.

But, when a straight line set up on a straight line makes the adjacent angles equal to one another, each of the equal angles is right; [I. Def. 10]

therefore each of the angles AFE, BFE is right.
Therefore CD, which is through the centre, and bisects AB which is not through the centre, also cuts it at right angles.

Again, let CD cut AB at right angles;

I say that it also bisects it, that is, that AF is equal to FB.

For, with the same construction,[1]

since EA is equal to EB,

the angle EAF is also equal to the angle EBF. [I. 5]

But the right angle AFE is equal to the right angle BFE, therefore EAF, EBF are two triangles having two angles equal to two angles and one side equal to one side, namely EF, which is common to them, and subtends one of the equal angles; therefore they will also have the remaining sides equal to the remaining sides; [I. 26]

therefore AF is equal to FB.
Therefore etc. Q. E. D.

Dependency Graph

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"I.post.2" [label="I.post.2", fillcolor="#444422", tooltip="I.post.2: To produce a finite straight line continuously in a straight line.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/postulates/index.html#i-post-2", target="_top"]; "I.post.3" [label="I.post.3", fillcolor="#444422", tooltip="I.post.3: To describe a circle with any centre and distance.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/postulates/index.html#i-post-3", target="_top"]; "I.post.4" [label="I.post.4", fillcolor="#444422", tooltip="I.post.4: That all right angles are equal to one another.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/postulates/index.html#i-post-4", target="_top"]; "I.cn.1" [label="I.cn.1", fillcolor="#442222", tooltip="I.cn.1: Things which are equal to the same thing are also equal to one another.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/common_notions/index.html#i-cn-1", target="_top"]; "I.cn.2" [label="I.cn.2", fillcolor="#442222", tooltip="I.cn.2: If equals be added to equals, the wholes are equal.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/common_notions/index.html#i-cn-2", target="_top"]; "I.cn.3" [label="I.cn.3", fillcolor="#442222", tooltip="I.cn.3: If equals be subtracted from equals, the remainders are equal.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/common_notions/index.html#i-cn-3", target="_top"]; "I.cn.4" [label="I.cn.4", fillcolor="#442222", tooltip="I.cn.4: Things which coincide with one another are equal to one another.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/common_notions/index.html#i-cn-4", target="_top"]; "I.cn.5" [label="I.cn.5", fillcolor="#442222", tooltip="I.cn.5: The whole is greater than the part.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/common_notions/index.html#i-cn-5", target="_top"]; "I.1" [label="I.1", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.1: On a given finite straight line to construct an equilateral triangle.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/01/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.2" [label="I.2", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.2: To place at a given point (as an extremity) a straight line equal to a given straight line.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/02/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.3" [label="I.3", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.3: Given two unequal straight lines, to cut off from the greater a straight line equal to the less.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/03/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.4" [label="I.4", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.4: If two triangles have the two sides equal to two sides respectively, and have the angles contained by the equal straight lines equal, they will also have the base equal to the…", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/04/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.5" [label="I.5", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.5: In isosceles triangles the angles at the base are equal to one another, and, if the equal straight lines be produced further, the angles under the base will be equal to one…", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/05/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.7" [label="I.7", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.7: Given two straight lines constructed on a straight line (from its extremities) and meeting in a point, there cannot be constructed on the same straight line (from its…", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/07/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.8" [label="I.8", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.8: If two triangles have the two sides equal to two sides respectively, and have also the base equal to the base, they will also have the angles equal which are contained by the…", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/08/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.9" [label="I.9", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.9: To bisect a given rectilineal angle.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/09/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.10" [label="I.10", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.10: To bisect a given finite straight line.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/10/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.11" [label="I.11", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.11: To draw a straight line at right angles to a given straight line from a given point on it.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/11/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.13" [label="I.13", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.13: If a straight line set up on a straight line make angles, it will make either two right angles or angles equal to two right angles.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/13/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.15" [label="I.15", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.15: If two straight lines cut one another, they make the vertical angles equal to one another.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/15/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.16" [label="I.16", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.16: In any triangle, if one of the sides be produced, the exterior angle is greater than either of the interior and opposite angles.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/16/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.26" [label="I.26", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.26: If two triangles have the two angles equal to two angles respectively, and one side equal to one side, namely, either the side adjoining the equal angles, or that subtending one…", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/26/index.html", target="_top"]; "III.3" [label="III.3", penwidth=2.5, color="#e8b85a", fillcolor="#4a453b", tooltip="III.3: If in a circle a straight line through the centre bisect a straight line not through the centre, it also cuts it at right angles; and if it cut it at right angles, it also bisects…", URL="index.html", target="_top"]; "I.def.3" -> "I.def.1"; "I.def.4" -> "I.def.1"; "I.def.15" -> "I.def.1"; "I.def.16" -> "I.def.1"; "I.post.1" -> "I.def.1"; "I.2" -> "I.def.1"; "I.7" -> "I.def.1"; "I.11" -> "I.def.1"; "I.def.3" -> "I.def.2"; "I.def.4" -> "I.def.2"; "I.def.6" -> "I.def.2"; "I.def.8" -> "I.def.2"; "I.def.9" -> "I.def.2"; "I.def.4" -> "I.def.3"; "I.def.13" -> "I.def.3"; "I.2" -> "I.def.3"; "I.7" -> "I.def.3"; "I.def.7" -> "I.def.4"; "I.def.8" -> "I.def.4"; "I.def.10" -> "I.def.4"; "I.def.15" -> "I.def.4"; "I.def.19" -> "I.def.4"; "I.post.1" -> "I.def.4"; "I.post.2" -> "I.def.4"; "I.1" -> "I.def.4"; "I.2" -> "I.def.4"; "I.3" -> "I.def.4"; "I.4" -> "I.def.4"; "I.5" -> "I.def.4"; "I.7" -> "I.def.4"; "I.8" -> "I.def.4"; "I.10" -> "I.def.4"; "I.11" -> "I.def.4"; "I.13" -> "I.def.4"; "I.15" -> "I.def.4"; "III.3" -> "I.def.4"; "I.def.6" -> "I.def.5"; "I.def.7" -> "I.def.5"; "I.def.15" -> "I.def.6"; "I.def.8" -> "I.def.7"; "I.def.15" -> "I.def.7"; "I.def.9" -> "I.def.8"; "I.def.10" -> "I.def.8"; "I.4" -> "I.def.8"; "I.5" -> "I.def.8"; "I.8" -> "I.def.8"; "I.13" -> "I.def.8"; "I.15" -> "I.def.8"; "I.16" -> "I.def.8"; "I.26" -> "I.def.8"; "I.9" -> "I.def.9"; "I.post.4" -> "I.def.10"; "I.11" -> "I.def.10"; "I.13" -> "I.def.10"; "III.3" -> "I.def.10"; "I.def.14" -> "I.def.13"; "I.def.15" -> "I.def.14"; "I.4" -> "I.def.14"; "I.def.16" -> "I.def.15"; "I.post.3" -> "I.def.15"; "I.1" -> "I.def.15"; "I.3" -> "I.def.15"; "III.3" -> "I.def.15"; "I.post.3" -> "I.def.16"; "III.3" -> "I.def.16"; "I.def.20" -> "I.def.19"; "I.4" -> "I.def.19"; "I.8" -> "I.def.19"; "I.16" -> "I.def.19"; "I.26" -> "I.def.19"; "I.1" -> "I.def.20"; "I.5" -> "I.def.20"; "I.1" -> "I.post.1"; "I.2" -> "I.post.1"; "I.5" -> "I.post.1"; "I.7" -> "I.post.1"; "I.16" -> "I.post.1"; "I.2" -> "I.post.2"; "I.5" -> "I.post.2"; "I.16" -> "I.post.2"; "I.1" -> "I.post.3"; "I.2" -> "I.post.3"; "I.3" -> "I.post.3"; "I.15" -> "I.post.4"; "I.1" -> "I.cn.1"; "I.2" -> "I.cn.1"; "I.3" -> "I.cn.1"; "I.13" -> "I.cn.1"; "I.15" -> "I.cn.1"; "I.13" -> "I.cn.2"; "I.2" -> "I.cn.3"; "I.15" -> "I.cn.3"; "I.4" -> "I.cn.4"; "I.16" -> "I.cn.5"; "I.2" -> "I.1"; "I.10" -> "I.1"; "I.11" -> "I.1"; "I.3" -> "I.2"; "I.5" -> "I.3"; "I.9" -> "I.3"; "I.11" -> "I.3"; "I.16" -> "I.3"; "I.5" -> "I.4"; "I.10" -> "I.4"; "I.16" -> "I.4"; "I.26" -> "I.4"; "I.7" -> "I.5"; "III.3" -> "I.5"; "I.8" -> "I.7"; "I.9" -> "I.8"; "I.11" -> "I.8"; "III.3" -> "I.8"; "I.10" -> "I.9"; "I.16" -> "I.10"; "I.13" -> "I.11"; "I.15" -> "I.13"; "I.16" -> "I.15"; "I.26" -> "I.16"; "III.3" -> "I.26"; }

Required for

III.4, III.14, III.15, III.35, III.36, III.37, IV.10, IV.11, IV.12, XII.16

See Commentary on Proposition III.3.