Content
This book contained many practical problems of surveying using geometry. This work provided detailed instructions on how to measure distances and heights with tall surveyor's poles and horizontal bars fixed at right angles to them. The unit of measurement was 1 li = 180 zhang= 1800chi, 1 zhang = 10 chi, 1 chi = 10 cun, 1 step(bu) = 6 chi. Calculation was carried out with place value decimal Rod calculus.
Liu Hui used his rectangle in right angle triangle theorem as the mathematical basis for survey. With his "In-out-compliment" principle, he proved that the area of two inscribed rectangles in the two complementary right angle triangles have equal area, thus
CE * AF = FB * BCRead more about this topic: The Sea Island Mathematical Manual
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