When building the pyramids nearly 5000 years ago, today when using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to detect a tumor in a human being, the size shape of an object are measured.

Because geometry deals with size shape, the topics methods of geometry are important in many of the applications of technology.

Many of the methods of measuring geometric objects were known in ancient times, most of the geometry used in technology has been known for hundreds of years. In about 300 b.c.e., the Greek mathematician Euclid (who lived taught in Alexria, Egypt) organized what was known in geometry. He added many new ideas in a 13-volume set of writings known as the Elements. Centuries later it was translated into various languages, today is second only to the Bible as the most published book in history.

The study of geometry includes the properties measurements of angles, lines, surfaces the basic figures they form. In this chapter, we review the more important methods formulas for calculating basic geometric measures, such as area volume. Technical applications are included from areas such as architecture, construction, instrumentation, surveying civil engineering, mechanical design, product design of various types, as well as other areas of engineering.

Geometric figures concepts are also basic to the development of many areas of mathematics, such as graphing trigonometry. We will start our study of graphs in Chapter 3 trigonometry in Chapter 4.