The impossible proof : an analysis of Adrien-Marie Legendre's attempts to prove Euclid's fith Postulate
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Euclid’s Fifth Postulate, the controversial Parallel Postulate, has been labeled by mathematical scholars throughout the centuries as unnecessary, as able to be proved from the other four Postulates. Many throughout the centuries tried to give a firm proof for this claim. However, as of 1750, none had been given. Adrien-Marie Legendre, French mathematician who lived from 1752-1833, spent forty years of his life attempting to produce such a definite proof. This paper explores some of Legendre’s major attempts, and it demonstrates the reasons why they failed.