The Rise of

AXIOMATIC METHOD
Properties of Axiomatic Method
Euclidean Axiomatic Geometry
Finite Geometries
University of Southeastern Philippines
Tagum Mabini Campus
The axiomatic method is based on a system of
deductive reasoning.

In deductive system, statements used in an argument
must be derived, or based upon, prior statements used
in the argument. These prior statement must themselves
be derived from even earlier statements and so on.

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Logical Traps

The trap of producing a never -
ending stream of prior statements.

The trap of circular reasoning.

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Four components of
deductive system

Undefined terms
Axioms
Defined Terms
Theorems
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Four components of
deductive system

Consistency
Independence
Completeness

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An axiomatic system is
consistent if no two
statements (these could
be two axioms, an axiom
and theorem or two
theorems) contradict
each other.
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CONSISTENCY
INDEPENDENCE
COMPLETENESS
An individual axiom in
an axiomatic system is
called independent if it
cannot be proved from
the other axiom.
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INDEPENDENCE
CONSISTENCY
COMPLETENESS
An axiomatic system is
called complete if it is
impossible to add a new
consistent and independent
axiom to the system. The
new axiom can use only
defined and undefined terms
of the original system.
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COMPLETENESS
CONSISTENCY
INDEPENDENCE
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The need for statements about
the order of points on a line.
The need for a statement about
the concept of betweenness.
The need for a statement
guaranteeing the uniqueness of a
line joining two distinct
points.
The need for a list of undefined
terms
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The need for a definite
statement about the continuity
of lines and circles.
The need for statement about
the infinite extent of a
straight line.
The need to state that if the
straight line enters a triangle
at a vertex then it must
intersect the opposite side.
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The need for more logical
approach that does not depend
on the concept of
superposition.
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Moritz Pasch (1882) devised a modern
set of axioms of Euclidean Geometry.
David Birkhoff (1902) used the six undefined
terms: point, line, plane, between, congruent
and on.
Moritz Pasch (1882) devised a modern
set of axioms of Euclidean Geometry.
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AXIOMS
1. There exist exactly three distinct
points in the geometry.
2. Each two distinct points are on
exactly one line.
3. Not all the points of the
geometry are on the same line.
4. Each two distinct lines are on at
least one point.
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Theorem 1.1
Each two distinct lines are on
exactly one point.

Proof:
By axiom 4, two distinct lines are on at
least one point. Assume two lines lie on
more than one point. If lines l and m lie
on the points P and Q, then axiom 2 is
contradicted, since P and Q would be on
two lines, l and m.
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Theorem 1.2
The three point geometry has exactly three
lines.

Proof:
From axiom 2, each pair of points is one exactly one
line. Each possible pair of points is on a distinct line, so
the geometry has at least three lines. Suppose there is a
fourth line must have a point in common with each of
the other three lines, by theorem 1.1, so that it must also
be on two of the three points, which contradicts axiom
2. Therefore, there can be no more than three lines in
the geometry.
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AXIOMS

1. There exist exactly four
lines.
2. Any two distinct lines have
exactly one point on both of
them.
3. Each point is on exactly two
lines.
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Theorem 1.3
The four line geometry has exactly six
points.

Proof:
From Axiom 1, there are six pairs of lines. The
number six is obtained as the combination of
four things taken two at a time. By axiom 2,
each pair of lines has exactly one point on both
of them. Suppose two of these six points are
not distinct. That would be contradiction of
axiom 3. Why?
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Theorem 1.3
The four line geometry has
exactly six points.

Proof:
Because this point would be on more than two
line. Also, by Axiom 3, no point could exist in
the geometry other than those six on the pairs
of lines.
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Theorem 1.4
Each line of the four line geometry
has exactly three points in it.

Proof:
By axiom 2 each line of the geometry has a
point in common with each of the other three
lines and all three of these distinct points are
on the given line. Suppose there were a fourth
point on one line. Then by Axiom 3, it must
also be on one of the other lines. But this is
impossible. Why?
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Theorem 1.4
Each line of the four line geometry
has exactly three points in it.

Proof:
Because the other lines already determine
exactly one point with the given line, and, by
Axiom 2, they can only determine one point.
Thus, each line of the geometry has exactly
three points on it.
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AXIOMS

1. The total number of points in
this geometry is four.
2. For any two distinct points P
1

and P
2
, there is precisely one
line that contains both P
1
and P
2
.
3. Each line is on exactly two
points.

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Theorem 1.5
The four point geometry has exactly
six lines.

Proof?

Theorem 1.6
Each point of the four point geometry
has exactly three lines in it.

Proof?

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AXIOMS

1. There exist at least one line.
2. Every line of the geometry has exactly
three points in it.
3. Not all points of the geometry are on
the same line.
4. For each two distinct points, there
exists exactly one line on both of
them.
5. Each two lines have at least one point
on both of them.
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Theorem 1.7
Each two distinct lines have exactly one
point in common.

Proof:
By Axiom 5, two lines have at least one point
on both of them. In a manner similar to the
proof of Theorem 1.3, suppose that one pair of
lines has two points in common. The
assumption that they have two distinct points
would have two lines containing both of them.
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A different finite geometry can be obtained
from Fanos geometry by a modification of
the last axiom. The new geometry, called
Youngs geometry, has four axioms of Fanos
geometry along with the following substitute
axiom for axiom 5.

5. If a point does not lie on a given line, then
there exists exactly one line on that point that
does not intersect the given line
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Can you think of a representation
of Youngs geometry?

How many points and lines does
Youngs geometry include? Can
you provide a proof?