This is an interesting question.
In mathematics, the term at least 3 means "3 or more".
A triangle is a 3-sided polygon. Every triangle has exactly (not at least) 3 sides and 3 angles.
In plane geometry, a square consists of a convex quadrilateral with sides of equal length that are positioned at right angles to each other. This is E.W. Weisstein's definition:
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Square.html
A quadrilateral is a 4-sided polygon; see
R.A. Johnson, Quadrangles and quadrilaterals and the theorem of Ptolemy, in Modern Geormetry: A Elementary Treatise on the Geometry of the Triangle and the Circle, Houghton Mifflin, Boson, 1929, 61-64.
By definition, a square has exactly (not at least 3) 4 sides.
Thank you for your response. Now, it is true that a triangle has at least three sides as well as at most 3 sides. This is true by the definition of disjunction in logic. A statement p or q is true if at least one of p or q is true. Since a triangle has exactly three sides, then it is true that is has 3 or more sides. The statement "a triangle has more than 3 sides" is false, but by definition of disjunction, a triangle has at least 3 sides.
On the case of a square, it is false that a square has 4 sides, thus, it is false that it has 3 sides. Having 4 sides, it means that it has more than 3 sides. Would it be true then that it is has more than 3 sides? If so, then it is true that a square has at least 3 sides.
Dear Aurea
You are talking in terms of philosophy. Let me share my perspective.
A triangle may not be a triangle and it may have as many sides as there are in the construction of the same.
Suppose, for example. There is a set of three bended lines or a line is bended on two more points exactly in a fashion to seem like a triangular, on a two dimensional plane.
Would you please call it a triangular, a real triangular?
Thanks Prof. Khan.I want to think mathematically and logically. Will bending a line be the same as creating the sides of a triangle?
Please, put the lines in a seeming way and perceive the way you like. One might see a triangle though there might not be one there.
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