[Math] Proving that two lines are parallel to each other without use of the parallel postulate

geometry

Let $A, B, C, D$ be four points with the following properties:

  1. Three of those points are never collinear.
  2. The angles $\angle ABC$ and $\angle DAB$ are right angles.
  3. $C$ and $D$ are located on the same side of the line running through $A$ and $B$.
  4. $AD \cong BC$.

I want to prove without use of the parallel postulate that the line running through $C$ and $D$ is parallel to the line running through $A$ and $B$. However, whenever I try to prove this, I really want to use the fact that the sum of the inner angles of every triangle equals two right angles (which of course assumes the parallel postulate). I think that it is pretty easy to show that $AD$ and $BC$ are parallel to each other, however that does not seem to be of a big help.

How should I approach this exercise? Should I prove it directly or by contradiction? Do I have to use the fact that $AD$ and $BC$ are parallel to each other? I really only need a hint.

Thanks for any answers in advance.

EDIT: I don't know whether this is relevant, but all of the other Hilbert axioms are given.

Best Answer

One ought to emphasize that "parallel" means the two lines under consideration never meet. On the sphere, all lines (great circles) meet, there are never any parallel lines.

Euclid's Proposition I.27 holds in a Hilbert plane, if you have a transversal with alternate interior angles equal, you have "parallel" lines. In your case, you just draw a line segment between the midpoint of AB and the midpoint of CD.

This is very similar to Exercise 10.10, on page 103, of Hartshorne, Geometry: Euclid and Beyond. Euclid's I.27 is Theorem 4.1, page 162 in Greenberg, fourth edition, Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometry.