Chap. T. GEOMETRY.

289
987. Prop. CVI. In a //i/rnii(l, a seiiion p'ij(i//el to the base is similar to the base.
Let tlie section a/ be parallel to the base CI)
(.fif/.
.'548.); this section is a figure similar
to the base. Draii^ Ali perpendicular to the base CI); draw also
BC, be, BE, be.
Because the planes cd CD arc parallel ; .A B, being perpendicular to
the plane CD, will also (Prop. 98.; be perpendicular to the plane cl:
whence the triangles Abe, ABC, havnig the angles b, B right angles,
and the angle A common, are equiangular. Therefore (Prop. 61.) Ab
is to AB as be to BC, and as Ac to AC.
In like manner it may be proved that Ab is to AB as be to
BE, and as Ae to AE. Consequently it' Ab be one third part of AB, fi
be will be one third part of BC, be the same of BE, Ac of .\C, and Ae ,
j,
of AE.
""
Again, in the two triangles cAe, CAE, there are about the angle A, common to tioth,
Iwo sides proportional; they are tliereforc (Prop. 63.)
equiangular, and consequently
(Prop. 61.) have their other sides proportional. Therefore ce will be proportional to
CE.
The two triangles cbe, CBE, having their sides proportional, are therefore
(
Pro]). 89.)
similar. The same may be demonstrated concerning all the other ti iangles which form t)i"
planes cd, CD. Therefore the section cd is similar to the base CD.
Remark. If the perpendicular AB fall out of the base; by drawing lines from the
points b, B, it may be demonstrated in the same manner that the section is similar to the
base.
988. Prop. CVII. In a pyramid, sections pnruUel to the base are to one another as th
squares of
their heir/hts.
Let CD cd
{fir/.
349.) be parallel sections. From the vertex A draw a perpendicular
AB to the plane CD : the plane c<l is to the plane CD as the square of
the height Ab is to the square of the height AB. Draw BC, be.
The line AB, being perpendicular to the plane CD, will also (Prop.
98.) be perpendicular to the parallel plane cd : whence the angle Abe
is a right angle, and also the angle ABC. INIoreover, the angle at A
is common to the two triangles Abe, ABC
;
these two triangles, thcie-
fore, are equiangular. Therefore (Prop. 61.) the side cb is to the side
CB as the side Ab is to the side AB ;
and consequently the square of
cb is to the square of CB as the square of Ab to the square of AB.
The planes cd, CD, being (Prop. 106.) similar figures, are to one
''
another (Prop. 82.) as the squares of the homologous lines cb, CB
;
Fif!. .tio.
they are therefore also as the squares of the heights Ab, A B.
Corollary. In the same manner if may be demonstrated that in a cone the sections
parallel to the base are to one another as the squares of the heights or perpendicular dis-
tances from the vertex.
989. Prop. CVIII. Pi/rajnids
of
the same hcir/ht are to one another as their bases.
Let A, F
{fig.
350.) be two pyramids. If the perpendicular AB he equal to the perpen-
dicular FG, the pyramid A is to the pyramid F
as the base CD to the base I^JM. Supposing,
for example, the base CD to be triple of the base
LiM, the pyramid A will be triple of the
py-
ramid F.
Two sections cd, Im, being taken at equ;il
heights Ab, Fg, the section cd is (Prop. 107.)
to the base CD as the square of the height .\b
to the square of the height AB ; and the section (^
Im is to the base LIM as the s(iuine of the
Fig. .-i.m).
height Fg to the square of the heiglit FtJ.
And because the heights are equal, AB to FG, and Ab to Fg, the section cd is to the base
CD as the section Im to the base LM ;
and, alternately, the section cd is to the section //*' as
the base CD is to the base LM. But the base CD is trii)le of the base LM, therefore
the section cd is also triple of the section bn.
Because the heights A F, FG are equal, it is manifest tha*^ *he two pyramids are com-
posed of an equal number of physical surfaces placed one upon inother. Now it may be
demonstrated in the same manner that every surface or section of the pyramid A is triple
of the corresponding surface or section of the pyramid F. Therefore the whole pyramid
A is triple of the whole pyramid F.
Corollary. Pyramids of the same height and equal bases are equal, since they are to
one another as their bases.
990. Prop. CIX. A pyramid whose base is that
of
a cube and whose vertex is at the ctHtrf
nf
the cube is equaJ to a third ^mrt
of
the product
of
its height and base.
u