汪莱球面三角成果讨论

A STUDY ON WANG LAI'S RESULTS OF SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY

该文讨论了汪莱《衡斋算学》有关球面三角的内容，指出其主要贡献系下列两点。其一，次形通法和垂弧通法的建立。其二，球面三角形解的存在性和唯一性的讨论。汪莱的工作说明，１８世纪末期中国已经具备球面三角的系统知识。

This paper discusses the contents about spherical trigonometry appearing in Wang Lai's Heng Zhai Suan Xue(Collection of Mathematical Works),and points out his main contributions as follows.First, he set up two generalized methods,one for drawing subgraphs and one for drawing perpendicular arcs in spherical triangle. Second, he made an integrated discussion on the existence and uniqueness of solution for spherical trigonometry.Wang's work shows that China was already in possession of systematic knowledge of spherical triangle in the late 18th century.