PAL

Ptolemaeus Arabus et Latinus

_ (the underscore) is the placeholder for exactly one character.
% (the percent sign) is the placeholder for no, one or more than one character.
%% (two percent signs) is the placeholder for no, one or more than one character, but not for blank space (so that a search ends at word boundaries).

At the beginning and at the end, these placeholders are superfluous.

Ptolemy, Almagesti (tr. Erasmus Reinhold)

Wittenberg, Johannes Lufft, 1549 · 105v

Facsimile

Dico rursus IIII. Tota interior ad partem suam inferiorem i. m. W quod ratio EB ad BZ componitur ex rationibus EA ad AG et GD ad DZ. Sit enim EI acta rursus aequidistans rectae DG. Est igitur ratio EB ad BZ eadem rationi IE ad DZ. Et assumpta deforis recta GD, componitur ratio IE ad DZ, hoc est EB ad BZ ex rationibus IE ad GD, et GD ad DZ. Estque ratio IE ad GD eadem rationi EA ad AG. Quare ratio EB ad BZ componitur ex duabus, scilicet ratione EA ad AG et GD ad DZ.

Aliter. Sit acta ZI aequidistans rectae AB. Est igitur ratio EB ad BZ eadem rationi EA ad AI. Et assumpta deforis recta AG, componitur ratio EA ad AI, hoc est EB ad BZ, ex rationibus scilicet EA ad AG et GA ad AI. Est autem GA ad AI ratio eadem