PROPOSITION 22.

If there be three plane angles of which two, taken together in any manner, are greater than the remaining one, and they are contained by equal straight lines, it is possible to construct a triangle out of the straight lines joining the extremities of the equal straight lines.

Let there be three plane angles ABC, DEF, GHK, of which two, taken together in any manner, are greater than the remaining one, namely the angles ABC, DEF greater than the angle GHK, the angles DEF, GHK greater than the angle ABC, and, further, the angles GHK, ABC greater than the angle DEF; let the straight lines AB, BC, DE, EF, GH, HK be equal, and let AC, DF, GK be joined;

I say that it is possible to construct a triangle out of straight lines equal to AC, DF, GK, that is, that any two of the straight lines AC, DF, GK are greater than the remaining one.

B A C E D F H G K
Now, if the angles ABC, DEF, GHK are equal to one another, it is manifest that, AC, DF, GK being equal also, it is possible to construct a triangle out of straight lines equal to AC, DF, GK.

But, if not, let them be unequal, and on the straight line HK, and at the point H on it, let the angle KHL be constructed equal to the angle ABC; let HL be made equal to one of the straight lines AB, BC, DE, EF, GH, HK, and let KL, GL be joined.

H L G K
Now, since the two sides AB, BC are equal to the two sides KH, HL, and the angle at B is equal to the angle KHL,
[I. 4]therefore the base AC is equal to the base KL.
And, since the angles ABC, GHK are greater than the angle DEF,
while the angle ABC is equal to the angle KHL,
therefore the angle GHL is greater than the angle DEF.
And, since the two sides GH, HL are equal to the two sides DE, EF, and the angle GHL is greater than the angle DEF,
[I. 24]therefore the base GL is greater than the base DF.
But GK, KL are greater than GL.
Therefore GK, KL are much greater than DF.
But KL is equal to AC;
therefore AC, GK are greater than the remaining straight line DF.
Similarly we can prove that AC, DF are greater than GK, and further DF, GK are greater than AC.
Therefore it is possible to construct a triangle out of straight lines equal to AC, DF, GK.
Q. E. D.

Dependency Graph

digraph { bgcolor="transparent"; node [shape=box, style="rounded,filled", fontname="Helvetica", fontsize=11, color="#d6d3cd", fontcolor="#ffffff"]; edge [color="#8c857b", fontcolor="#8c857b", arrowsize=0.75]; rankdir="TB"; "I.def.1" [label="I.def.1", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.1: A point is that which has no part.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-1", target="_top"]; "I.def.2" [label="I.def.2", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.2: A line is breadthless length.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-2", target="_top"]; "I.def.3" [label="I.def.3", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.3: The extremities of a line are points.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-3", target="_top"]; "I.def.4" [label="I.def.4", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.4: A straight line is a line which lies evenly with the points on itself.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-4", target="_top"]; "I.def.5" [label="I.def.5", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.5: A surface is that which has length and breadth only.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-5", target="_top"]; "I.def.6" [label="I.def.6", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.6: The extremities of a surface are lines.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-6", target="_top"]; "I.def.7" [label="I.def.7", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.7: A plane surface is a surface which lies evenly with the straight lines on itself.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-7", target="_top"]; "I.def.8" [label="I.def.8", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.8: A plane angle is the inclination to one another of two lines in a plane which meet one another and do not lie in a straight line.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-8", target="_top"]; "I.def.9" [label="I.def.9", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.9: And when the lines containing the angle are straight, the angle is called rectilineal.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-9", target="_top"]; "I.def.10" [label="I.def.10", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.10: 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, and the straight line standing on the other is…", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-10", target="_top"]; "I.def.13" [label="I.def.13", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.13: A boundary is that which is an extremity of anything.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-13", target="_top"]; "I.def.14" [label="I.def.14", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.14: A figure is that which is contained by any boundary or boundaries.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-14", target="_top"]; "I.def.15" [label="I.def.15", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.15: A circle is a plane figure contained by one line such that all the straight lines falling upon it from one point among those lying within the figure are equal to one another.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-15", target="_top"]; "I.def.16" [label="I.def.16", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.16: And the point is called the centre of the circle.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-16", target="_top"]; "I.def.19" [label="I.def.19", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.19: Rectilineal figures are those which are contained by straight lines, trilateral figures being those contained by three, quadrilateral those contained by four, and multilateral…", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-19", target="_top"]; "I.def.20" [label="I.def.20", fillcolor="#224422", tooltip="I.def.20: Of trilateral figures, an equilateral triangle is that which has its three sides equal, an isosceles triangle that which has two of its sides alone equal, and a scalene triangle…", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/definitions/index.html#i-def-20", target="_top"]; "I.post.1" [label="I.post.1", fillcolor="#444422", tooltip="I.post.1: To draw a straight line from any point to any point.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/postulates/index.html#i-post-1", target="_top"]; "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.18" [label="I.18", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.18: In any triangle the greater side subtends the greater angle.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/18/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.19" [label="I.19", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.19: In any triangle the greater angle is subtended by the greater side.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/19/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.20" [label="I.20", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.20: In any triangle two sides taken together in any manner are greater than the remaining one.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/20/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.22" [label="I.22", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.22: Out of three straight lines, which are equal to three given straight lines, to construct a triangle: thus it is necessary that two of the straight lines taken together in any…", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/22/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.23" [label="I.23", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.23: On a given straight line and at a point on it to construct a rectilineal angle equal to a given rectilineal angle.", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/23/index.html", target="_top"]; "I.24" [label="I.24", fillcolor="#222244", tooltip="I.24: If two triangles have the two sides equal to two sides respectively, but have the one of the angles contained by the equal straight lines greater than the other, they will also…", URL="../../../../volume_I/book_i/propositions/24/index.html", target="_top"]; "XI.22" [label="XI.22", penwidth=2.5, color="#e8b85a", fillcolor="#4a453b", tooltip="XI.22: If there be three plane angles of which two, taken together in any manner, are greater than the remaining one, and they are contained by equal straight lines, it is possible to…", 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.23" -> "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"; "XI.22" -> "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"; "I.22" -> "I.def.4"; "I.23" -> "I.def.4"; "I.24" -> "I.def.4"; "XI.22" -> "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.18" -> "I.def.8"; "I.19" -> "I.def.8"; "I.24" -> "I.def.8"; "XI.22" -> "I.def.8"; "I.9" -> "I.def.9"; "I.23" -> "I.def.9"; "I.post.4" -> "I.def.10"; "I.11" -> "I.def.10"; "I.13" -> "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"; "I.post.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.18" -> "I.def.19"; "I.19" -> "I.def.19"; "I.20" -> "I.def.19"; "I.22" -> "I.def.19"; "I.24" -> "I.def.19"; "XI.22" -> "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.20" -> "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.18" -> "I.3"; "I.22" -> "I.3"; "I.5" -> "I.4"; "I.10" -> "I.4"; "I.16" -> "I.4"; "I.24" -> "I.4"; "XI.22" -> "I.4"; "I.7" -> "I.5"; "I.19" -> "I.5"; "I.20" -> "I.5"; "I.24" -> "I.5"; "I.8" -> "I.7"; "I.9" -> "I.8"; "I.11" -> "I.8"; "I.23" -> "I.8"; "I.10" -> "I.9"; "I.16" -> "I.10"; "I.13" -> "I.11"; "I.15" -> "I.13"; "I.16" -> "I.15"; "I.18" -> "I.16"; "I.19" -> "I.18"; "I.20" -> "I.19"; "I.24" -> "I.19"; "I.22" -> "I.20"; "I.23" -> "I.22"; "I.24" -> "I.23"; "XI.22" -> "I.24"; }

Required for

XI.23

See Commentary on Proposition XI.22.