Ceva, Giovanni (1647–1734)

Jesuit-trained Italian mathematician who specialized in geometry. His greatest discovery, now known as Ceva's theorem, can be stated as follows. Given a triangle with vertices (corners), A, B, and C and points D, E, and F on the opposite sides, the lines AD, BE, and CF will intersect at a single point if BD × CE × AF = DC × EA × FB.

The term Cevian line was coined by French geometers around the end of the 18th century to honor Ceva. It is defined as any line joining a vertex of a triangle to a point on the opposite side. The median, altitude, and angle bisector are all examples of Cevians. The perpendicular bisector, however, in most cases, is not a Cevian because it doesn't usually pass through a vertex.

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• MATHEMATICIANS

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