Practical Plane Geometry

Abstract

THIS is a carefully got-up and good work on the subject of which it treats. After the usual preliminary matter on definitions and the use of instruments are given 333 problems. This may appear to be too large a number for school teaching, but the work is principally intended for students in Art schools. For school purposes, and we have more than once recently pointed out that the subject is taught as affording a good initiation to the study of pure geometry, we should recommend the master to make a selection such as he thinks adapted to the attainments of his pupils or fitted to the end he has in view in taking up the study. Plates LII. to LXIII. are devoted to Applied Geometry (such as curves of mouldings, Gothic tracery, construction of scales, &c,). An Appendix (Plates LXIV. to LXXI.) treats of the Elements of Orthographic Projection. This last portion we are told is given expressly to meet the requirements of the more extended range of the Second Grade Examination of the present day. We have verified most of the constructions, which are clearly given, and in the main admit of demonstration on pure geometric principles. Some relating to the construction of polygons, three on the contact of circles, and some few relating to the areas of circles, are founded on approximative methods. The arrangement of the text and of the plates appears to us to be a good one. The book must be used in a position at right angles to the usual one, and then the text is on the left-hand page, and so above the plates, which are immediately under the pupil's eyes. The printing and the plates (the only figure that does not please us is the oval on Plate II.) leave nothing to be desired.

Practical Plane Geometry.

By E. S. Burchett. (London and Glasgow: W. Collins, Sons, and Co., 1876.)