### 1.2.2.4.3 Plato' s Definition of Mathematics

This developed from his philosophy.
Plato believed that when we imagine a right angled triangle we are seeing an approximation of THE PERFECT RIGHT ANGLED TRIANGLE which exists somewhere outside of time and space.

Thus real mathematical quantities and immutable and eternal.

The consequence of this is that mathematicians do not invent mathematics but simply discover what has always been and always will be there.

Many mathematicians today still believe this.