Greek and Arabic constructions of the regular heptagon (Q5903042)

[Another review can be found in Zbl 0555.01001.] The paper consists of eight sections. Appended are editions of the Arabic texts and English translations of Propositions 17 and 18 of the ''Book of the construction of the circle, divided into seven equal parts'', attributed to Archimedes, and of the ''Book on the construction of the heptagon in the circle and the division of the rectilinear angle into three equal parts'' by the 10th century geometer Al-Sijzī. In the introductory chapter the author gives a survey of modern papers on the regular heptagon in Greek and Arabic geometry and explains the structure of the paper. In the following chapter he discusses the construction attributed to Archimedes and its authorship. He regards this question as unsettled. Chapter 3 deals with the Arabic opinions of this construction of the heptagon. Many geometers shared the opinion that only constructions of a certain type were admissible in geometry. In chapter 4 the author renders the twelve correct constructions of the regular heptagon by Arabic geometers which have come down to us. Chapter 5 is almost entirely devoted to the history of one of these attempts made by Abū'l-Jūd who used a neusis-construction. The following two short chapters deal with the few traces of Arabic constructions of the regular heptagon in Latin works and contain preliminary remarks on the role of the regular heptagon in the general history of Arabic mathematics. These constructions stimulated the study of the theory of conic sections and strengthened the self-confidence of some Arabic mathematicians. The last chapter consists of bibliographical references.