A modern expression for this situation is to say that the numbers a1, a2, a3, ...

,
an-1, an are in a geometric progression or a geometric sequence. The ratio of any
consecutive pair in a geometric progression is constant.

Many of the propositions in Books VIII and IX treat geometric progressions. The sum
of a geometric progression is found in proposition IX.35.

About this proposition

This proposition says that if the end numbers are relatively prime in a continued
proportion with constant ratio, then there is no continued proportion of the same
length and same ratio having smaller numbers. We could say that the continued
proportion is in lowest terms. The proposition generalizes VII.21 when there are
only two numbers in continued proportion, that is, a ratio. VII.21 says if the two
numbers are relatively prime, then the ratio is in lowest terms.
Notice that the example of a continued proportion given above, 1250 : 750 = 750 :
450 = 450 : 270 = 270 : 162, is not in lowest terms, since all the numbers may be
halved to get continued proportion of the same length and same ratio but with
smaller numbers.

Use of this proposition

This proposition is used in the next one and in VIII.9. The converse of this
proposition is VIII.3.