ABEL , NEILS
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ANGAS SCOTT, CHARLOTTE
Born June 8, 1858 in Lincoln, UK
Died November 10, 1931 in Cambridge, UK
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Modern pioneer of women in the academic world of mathematics
Ranked 8th in her graduating class (1880) at Cambridge, but was not awarded a
degree until two years later, because she was a woman
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Earned her doctorate in mathematics in 1885
Was an Associate Professor, and ultimately Professor of Mathematics at Bryn Mawr
College, the first institution in the United States to offer graduate-level education to
women.
Was widely published, and served as co-editor of the American Journal of
Mathematics for 27 years.
Is reported to have had an excellent sense of humor and to have been very
personable.
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AGNESI, MARIA
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May 16th, 1718-January 9th, 1799, born in Italy
Maria Agnesi wrote a calculus textbook called, Foundation of Analysis,” which was
the most important publication by a woman up to that point and was considered an
authoritative text for over fifty years. She is noted for discovering a special bellshaped curve known as, “the witch curve.”
Learned to speak French fluently by the age of five. By nine she could also speak
Latin, Hebrew and Greek.
Wrote many essays and books about her belief that women should receive higher
education.
After her father died, she gave up the study of mathematics and devoted the rest of
her life to helping the homeless, sick and poor people (especially women).
The French Academy Proclaimed the following about her calculus book; “there is
Famous Quote no other book, in any language, that would enable a reader to penetrate as deeply, or
as rapidly, into the fundamental concepts of analysis.”
ARCHIMEDES
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ARISTOTLE
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BABBAGE, CHARLES
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December 26,1792 - October 18, 1871, born London, England
Babbage argued that a large difference engine could do the work undertaken by
teams of people, thus saving cost and being totally accurate. Since construction of
the difference engine was costing too much money and taking too long to build,
Babbage started on a new project, called the analytical machine, which was the
forerunner of the modern electric computer. This is how he got his nickname of the
“Father of Computing.” Although Babbage never built an operational, computer, his
design concepts have been proved correct and recently such a computer has been
built following Babbage’s own design criteria.
Other inventions were: the cowcatcher, dynamometer, standard railroad gauge,
uniform postal rates, occulting lights for lighthouses, Greenwich time signals,
heliograph opthalmoscope.
He despised street musicians
Enjoyed fire so much, he was once baked in an oven at 265° F for “five or six
minutes without any great discomfort", and on another occasion was lowered into
Mt. Vesuvius to view molten lava.
Famous Quote Every minute a man dies, and one an a sixteenth is born
BACON, ROGER
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Born: 1224 in Ilchester, Somerset, England (see fun facts below)
Died: June 1292 in Oxford England
Rogers attended Oxford University beginning at the age of 13, staying for many
years and earning a Master’s Degree. Studied geometry, arithmetic, music and
astronomy. He then remained at Oxford teaching until around 1241. Was an expert
on the teachings of Aristotle. Lectured at the University of Paris on Aristotle’s
ideas. Did lengthy studies on languages, mathematics, optics and sciences. Entered
the Franciscan Friary in Oxford in 1251 to study. Rogers was a devout Christian
who believed that his scientific work would aid an understanding of the world.
Gave an early proposal for the invention of the telescope. Wrote a proposal for an
encyclopedia of all the sciences by a team of collaborators, coordinated by the body
of the church, the proposal was called the Opus maius, (Great Work) and consisted
of 840 pages.
Roger Bacon’s birthday is not known exactly, but derived from the following
statement that he wrote. “I have laboured diligently in sciences and languages, and
40 years have passed since I first learned the alphabet. I have always been studious
and for all but two of these 40 years I have been in study.
Began studies at Oxford University at the age of 13, funded by his father.
Spent most of his family’s wealth on books, equipment, instruments and
mathematical tables.
Once proposed a calendar reform to the pope, but was not listened too. 300 years
later the changes were made with no credit to Bacon.
Famous Quote “Mathematics is the door and the key to the sciences.”
BANNEKER, BENJAMIN
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October 9, 1731- October 9, 1806 born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
With consideration to the family farm, Benjamin dropped out of school. Obtaining
some elementary education, Benjamin became famous in his community at the age
of 22. After careful observation he created a clock. The clock struck at every hour
and worked up until he passed away. Ellicott, a good friend, lent Benjamin
astronomy books and instruments in which he furthered his academic knowledge.
He taught himself algebra, geometry, trigonometry, logarithms, and astronomy.
Through his self-teaching strategies he was able to compose an astronomical
almanac which was published for several years. He had attempted to use his
mathematical achievements to improve slavery.
Unlike many African American families in the 1700s, Benjamin and the Banneker
family were free. They were not slaves.
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After Benjamin observed a pocket watch, he recreated a new clock. He made
calculations which allowed the clock to function properly and keep accurate time.
One of the most difficult sections to compile in an almanac is the ephemeris. The
use of ephemeris was and is essential to farmers as it indicates the positions of the
sun, moon and planets from day to day. As Benjamin’s friend Ellicott left his books
and scientific equipment at Banneker’s house, Benjamin used the tools at hand to
create this vital section of the almanac. From 1791-1797 his almanacs were
submitted into publishing.
Once old enough, Benjamin dropped out of school to help his parents out on their
farm.
As Benjamin was being buried his farm burnt down.
The colour of the skin is in no way connected with strength of the mind or
Famous Quote
intellectual powers.
BERNOULLI, JACOB (JACQUES)
Born: 27 Dec 1654 in Basel, Switzerland
Died: 16 Aug 1705 in Basel, Switzerland
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Jacob and his brother Johann were among the first mathematicians to study and
understand Leibniz's publications on calculus. Jacob was the chair of mathematics
at Basel University. He published important works on infinite series and
probability.
Bernoulli was compelled to study philosophy and theology by his parents, but
during this time, he studied mathematics as well. When he graduated, he took a job
as a mathematics tutor and eventually a mathematics professor.
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Jacob’s brother Johann was also a fine mathematician, and a rivalry developed
between them. Jacob felt he was the inferior mathematician, but history has shown
him to be the finer.
It is utterly implausible that a mathematical formula should make the future known
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to us, and those who think it can, would once have believed in witchcraft.
CANTOR, GEORG
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March 3, 1845 – January 6, 1918; born St. Petersburg, Russia
Creator of set theory. Cantor established the importance of one-to-one
correspondence between sets, defined infinite and well–ordered sets, and proved
that the real numbers are "more numerous" than the natural numbers. In fact,
Cantor's theorem implies the existence of an"infinity of infinities." He defined the
cardinal and ordinal numbers, and their arithmetic.
While at Berlin, Cantor became much involved with the Mathematical Society being
president of the Society during 1864-65.
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He was an outstanding violinist, having inherited his parents' considerable musical
and artistic talents.
His youngest son died suddenly in 1899 and this tragedy finally drained him of
much of his passion for mathematics. Suffered from chronic depression for the rest
of his life.
Famous Quote The essence of mathematics lies in its freedom.
CARDANO, GIROLAMO
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Sept 24th 1501 – Sept 21st 1576 Born in Pavia, Duchy of Milan
He was an Italian doctor and mathematician. I Ars Magna, he told about his
methods of solution for cubic and quartic equations.
He used his knowledge of probability to beat his opponents in gambling.
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Because he couldn’t go to a certain college, he published a book bad mouthing the
school, but was later admitted after a policy change.
Quinquies exscriptus, maneat tot millibus annis.
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I wrote it out five times, may it last the same number of millennia.
CAUCHY, AUGUSTIN-LOUIS
August 21, 1789 (born in Paris France)- May 23, 1857 (died in
Sceaux (near Paris), France)
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Cauchy was known for his political and religious view points, it created a lot of
controversy. The controversy was so great it limited Cauchy’s job opportunities.
Highly education and qualified for the job, Cauchy was taken under Lagrange’s
wing. Lagrange advised Cauchy’s parents to first study classical languages and then
move to the study of mathematics. Cauchy graduated from École Polytechnique
and later entered École Polytechnique’s engineering school. He was then granted
the opportunity to work under Giard. Together they were assigned to the Ourcq
Canal project. He proved that the angle in a convex polyhedron were determined by
the number of faces, came up with the integral theorem, differential equations, the
Cauchy-Riemann equations and Cauchy sequences. In addition to all of this Cauchy
wrote 789 papers which focused on mathematical ideas.
Although Cauchy was the candidate for several jobs, his religious viewpoints, which
supported the Jesuits, limited him from employment opportunities.
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He taught at the academy. However, in 1868 since he did not take the oath of
allegiance, he was unable to teach again.
... we can repudiate completely and which we can abandon without regret because
Famous Quote one does not know what this pretended sign signifies nor what sense one ought to
attribute to it.
CAYLEY, ARTHUR
August 16, 1821, Richmond, Surrey, England-January 26, 1895,
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
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Works developing the algebra of matrices, and in non-Euclidean and n-dimensional
geometry.
Although very skilled in conveyance (his legal specialty), he always considered it as
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a means to make money so that he could pursue mathematics.
As for everything else, so for a mathematical theory: beauty can be perceived but
Famous Quote not explained. Quoted in J R Newman, The World of Mathematics (New York
1956).
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COPERNICUS, NICOLAUS
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February 19, 1473 - May 24, 1543; born, Torun, Poland
Astronomer known for asserting that the earth rotated on its axis once daily and
traveled around the sun once yearly: a fantastic concept for the times. Up to the
time of Copernicus the thinkers of the western world believed in the Ptolemiac
theory that the universe was a closed space bounded by a spherical envelope beyond
which there was nothing.
Was a mathematician, astronomer, jurist, physician, classical scholar, Catholic
cleric, governor, administrator, military leader, diplomat and economist.
His interest in astronomy gradually grew to be one in which he had a primary
interest; and investigations were carried on quietly and alone, without help or
consultation.
Reluctant to publish, not because of what the church might say, but because he was
a perfectionist and never thought (after 30 years worth of work) that the complete
work was ready.
Famous Quote Finally we shall place the Sun himself at the center of the Universe.
DESCARTES, RENE
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March 31, 1596, La Haye, Touraine, France- February 11, 1650,
Stockholm, Sweden
A French philosopher whose work, La géométrie, includes his application of algebra
to geometry from which we now have Cartesian geometry. His work had a great
influence on both mathematicians and philosophers.
While in the school his health was poor and he was granted permission to remain in
bed until 11 o'clock in the morning, a custom he maintained until the year of his
death.
He spent much of his time from 1620-1628 traveling, but by 1628 he tired of the
continual traveling and decided to settle down.
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Each problem that I solved became a rule which served afterwards to solve other
problems. Discours de la Méthode
DIOPHANTUS OF ALEXANDRIA
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About 200-284 A.D., born in Alexandria, Egypt.
Worked during the third century and became known for his Arithmetica, a work on
the theory of numbers. It is a collection of 130 problems that give solutions to
determined and indetermined equations. Most of the Arithmetica problems lead to
the quadratic equation.
Has been referred to as, “the father of algebra.”
7 of his 13 books were lost shortly after they were written.
Little is know about his life. The little details we have may not be accurate.
Where we would write (12 + 6n)/(n2 -3), Diophantus wrote:
Famous Quote “... a sixfold number increased by twelve, which is divided by the difference by
which the square of the number exceeds three.”
DODGSON, CHARLES
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EDGERTON MERRILL, WINIFRED
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EINSTEIN, ALBERT
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March 14, 1879 – April 18,1955, born in Ulm, Württemberg,
Germany
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Albert Einstein attended school in Munich and he began studying calculus around
1891. He graduated in 1900 as a teacher of mathematics and physics. In 1905, he
earned a doctorate from the University of Zurich for a thesis On a new
determination of molecular dimensions. He was best known for developing the
theory of relativity, and for revolutionizing thinking about time, space, mass, light,
motion, and gravitation.
In 1940 Einstein became a citizen of the United States.
Einstein received the Nobel Prize in 1921 for his work on the photoelectric effect.
Einstein managed to avoid military service because he had flat feet and varicose
veins.
Famous Quote I don't believe in mathematics.
ERATHOSTHENES
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Born: 276 BC in Cyrene, North Africa (now Shahhat, Libya)
Died: 194 BC in Alexandria, Egypt
Eratosthenes is best known for his work on doubling a cube and his work on prim
numbers. He developed the Sieve of Eratosthenes, which is used to find prime
numbers, and is still in use in a modified form today. He also calculated the
circumference of the earth to a surprisingly accurate measure.
Eratosthenes was the third librarian of the famous library in Alexandria, Egypt,
which housed one of the finest and most extensive libraries in ancient times.
Finding the circumference of the earth using Eratosthenes’ method caused
considerable debate among mathematicians for many years, yet his measurement
was quite accurate
Much of Eratosthenes work is lost, but it is much quoted in other famous
mathematicians’ work.
If, good friend, thou mindest to obtain from any small cube a cube the double of it,
and duly to change any solid figure into another, this is in thy power; thou canst find
Famous Quote the measure of a fold, a pit, or the broad basin of a hollow well, by this method, that
is, if thou thus catch between two rulers two means with their extreme ends
converging.
EUCLID
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About 325 BC – 265 BC ( no exact dates) He died in Alexandria.
He was best known for his treatise on geometry called “The Elements”. For more
that 2000 years, the treatise influence the development of western mathematics.
The Elements contained some axioms as well as mathematics…math sayings.
Not much info exists about Euclid, but something cool is that another Euclid was
alive around 100 years before Euclid of Alexandria that some people got confused
with.
Famous Quote There is no royal road to geometry.
EULER, LEONHARD
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Born: 15 April 1707 in Basel, Switzerland
Died: 18 Sept 1783 in St Petersburg, Russia
Euler was a brilliant mathematician who was capable of doing incredible complex
math solutions in his head without writing anything down. He spent time teaching
and studying at the St Petersburg Academy in Russia. Euler did a lot to influence
modern mathematical notation, for example, he chose the Greek letter π for the ratio
of the circumference of a circle, and the notation f(x) for processes in algebra, as
well as many others. Through helping the city of Konigsberg with a parade route he
introduced a new area of mathematics called topology, a branch of geometry. Euler
contributed many procedures and formulas to mathematics, such as Euler’s Line,
Euler’s Constant, Euler’s Angles, and F+V=E+2, (faces of a solid, plus the number
of vertices, equals the number of edges plus 2).
Leonhard Euler was blinded by a fever and a cataract at an early age.
Once multiplied each number from 1-100 by itself six times, in his head
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His output of writings averaged 800 printed pages per year, not counting over 4000
letters.
Upon his death it took 50 pages to list the titles of his works.
Famous Quote Upon losing the sight in his second eye. “Now I will have less distractions.”
FERMAT, PIERRE
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Born August 17, 1601 in Beaumont-de-Lomagne, France
Died January 12, 1665 in Castres, France
Fermat’s last theorem: xn + yn = zn has no non-zero solutions for x, y, and z when
n > 0 We have no evidence that he had a viable proof, except for this quote “I have
discovered a truly remarkable proof which this margin is too small to contain.”
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Fermat’s principle of optics (light always takes the shortest possible path)
Creating difficult or impossible problems and distributing them to the
mathematicians of his time
Caught the plague and was reported dead in 1653, but recovered and the report had
to be corrected
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Received a degree in civil law and was a lawyer and councilor at the parliament
Descartes had a public feud with Fermat and slandered his work publicly, while
admitting privately in writing that Fermat’s work was correct
The first draft of Andrew Wiles’ currently accepted proof of Fermat’s theorem was
over 200 pages long
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Fascinated by number theory, but couldn’t find anyone who wanted to discuss it.
“And perhaps, posterity will thank me for having shown it that the ancients did not
know everything.”
“Algebra is a wonderful gift to mankind.”
FIBONACCI, LEONARDO
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About 1170 – 1250; born, Pisa, Italy
He was one of the first people to introduce the Hindu-Arabic number system into
Europe - the positional system we use today - based on ten digits with its decimal
point and a symbol for zero:
1234567890
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His book on how to do arithmetic in the decimal system, called Liber abbaci
(meaning Book of the Abacus or Book of Calculating) completed in 1202 persuaded
many European mathematicians of his day to use this "new" system. A modern
number sequence named after him known as the Fibonacci numbers, which he did
not discover but used as an example in the Liber Abaci.
As a young boy, chose his own nickname Fibonacci (derived from filius Bonacci,
son of Bonaccio) which means traveler (which he certainly was), but may also mean
blockhead.
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Was taught mathematics in Bugia and traveled widely with his father and
recognized the enormous advantages of the mathematical systems used in the
countries they visited.
A man has one pair of rabbits in a certain cage. We wish to know how many pairs
Famous Quote will be bred from it in one year, if the nature of these rabbits is such that they breed
every month one other pair and begin to breed in the second month after their birth.
GALILEO, GALILEI
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February 15, 1545 (born in Pisa, Italy) – January 8, 1642 (died in
Arcetri, Italy)
He was tutored until the age when he could enter a monastery for school. He
attended Camaldolese Monastery in Vallombrosa and adapted to the solitary life.
His parents, especially his father did not see this in his future as he wanted Galileo
to pursue a medical career. With his father’s emphasis on medicine, he enrolled in
the University of Pisa. Taking a geometry class led Galileo in another direction, the
direction of mathematics. Dropping the medical degree, he began to teach
mathematics first privately and later publicly. In 1589 Galileo was appointed head
chair of mathematics at the University of Pisa. After Galileo’s father died he
needed to find better means of obtaining money to tend to his 6 siblings so he
became a professor at Padua. It was there that he began to disagree with some of
Aristotle’s ideals. After receiving a letter which regarded a spyglass created by
Sarpi in 1609 Galileo felt compelled to make a series of telescopes. From his
telescopes he was able to see mountains on the Moon, proved that the Milky was
formed by little stars and saw four bodies orbit Jupiter. With further astronomical
observations problems arose between Galileo and the Jesuits. With his support of
Copernicus much attention was brought to his discoveries. Galileo published
several ideas. One piece in particular, Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief Systems
of the World - Ptolemaic and Copernican, upset members on the Inquisition and
they asked Galileo to come to Rome. Unable to attend due to an illness. When the
trial was held and no proof for Copernicus was evident, Galileo was condemned to a
lifetime in prison. However, they let him off easy and held him under house arrest.
He finished the Discourses and it was published and smuggled into Italy. It is in
this publishing that he informs his audience of the constant acceleration that occurs
when an object is swung on dropped.
Galileo became completely blind in 1638.
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Galileo established a long term relationship with Maria Gamba, they two didn’t
marry due to financial reasons. The couple had three children together.
Designed a pendulum clock towards the end of his life.
And who can doubt that it will lead to the worst disorders when minds created free
by God are compelled to submit slavishly to an outside will? When we are told to
deny our senses and subject them to the whim of others? When people devoid of
Famous Quote
whatsoever competence are made judges over experts and are granted authority to
treat them as they please? These are the novelties which are apt to bring about the
ruin of commonwealths and the subversion of the state.
GALOIS, EVARISTE
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GAUSS, CARL FRIEDRICH
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GERMAIN, SOPHIE
Born: 1 April 1776 in Paris, France
Died: 27 June 1831 in Paris, France
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Germain was a tireless mathematician in a world that was dominated by men. She
worked on many important mathematical questions of her day, including
groundbreaking work on the theory of elastic surfaces, but was ignored by the male
mathematicians of her day.
Germain corresponded with the greatest mathematical minds of her day, often under
a pseudonym to protect her identity.
Sophie decided to be a mathematician when she read an account of the death of
Archimedes at the hand of a Roman soldier.
Her parents, in an attempt to force young Sophie away from her books, took away
her fire, her light and her clothes, but finally gave up, and Sophie continued her selfstudy.
In describing the honourable mission I charged him with, M. Pernety informed me
that he made my name known to you. This leads me to confess that I am not as
completely unknown to you as you might believe, but that fearing the ridicule
Famous Quote attached to a female scientist, I have previously taken the name of M. LeBlanc in
communicating to you those notes that, no doubt, do not deserve the indulgence
with which you have responded.
Letter to Gauss (1807)
GOLDBACH, CHRISTIAN
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March 18, 1690 – November 20, 1764, born in Königsberg, Prussia
He has his own conjecture named after him called, “Golbach’s conjecture. He sent
this conjecture in a letter to Euler stating that every even integer > 2 is a sum of two
primes.
In 1725 Goldbach became professor of mathematics and historian of the Imperial
Academy at St. Petersburg.
Three years later he went to Moscow as tutor to Tsar Peter II, and from 1742 he
served as a staff member of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Other than his letter Euler, Goldbach published other famous works such as: De
transformatione serierum (1729) and De terminis generalibus serierum (1732)
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GRAY, MARY
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HERON
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About 10 to about 75; (possibly) Alexandria, Egypt
Important geometer and worker in mechanics who invented many machines
including a steam turbine. His best known mathematical work is the formula for the
area of a triangle in terms of the lengths of its sides.
It is difficult to place a time frame on Heron’s life, due to discrepancies in historical
logs.
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HILBERT, DAVID
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HYPATIA OF ALEXANDRIA
Born: about 370 in Alexandria, Egypt
Died: March 415 in Alexandria, Egypt
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Hypatia is the first woman to make substantial contributions to the development of
mathematics. She wrote commentaries on current mathematical works to make
them more understandable. Among the topics are conics, astronomy, and geometry.
Hypatia became head of the Platonist school at Alexandria in about 400 AD.
She was a very scholarly and beautiful woman who was a charismatic teacher.
She was murdered by an angry mob of people who thought that her views
threatened their worldview.
Whatever the precise motivation for the murder, the departure soon afterward of
Famous Quote many scholars marked the beginning of the decline of Alexandria as a major centre
of ancient learning.
KHAYYAM, OMAR
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May 18, 1048 – December 4, 1131, born in Nishapur, Persia (now
Iran).
Khayyam studied philosophy in Naishapur and he was an outstanding
mathematician and astronomer. In 1079, he worked on compiling astronomical
tables and he also contributed to calendar reform. He measured the length of the
year as 365.24219858156 days. In the West, he was known for his poetry. However,
Khayyam is best known for his contributions to mathematics in providing a solution
of cubic equations through geometry.
Omar Khayyam's full name was Ghiyath al-Din Abu'l-Fath Umar ibn Ibrahim AlNisaburi al-Khayyami.
Khayyam grew up in an unstable military empire, which also had religious
problems.
Khayyam came under attack from the orthodox Muslims who felt that his
questioning mind did not conform to the faith.
Famous Quote Algebras are geometric facts which are proved.
SONIA KOVALEVSKY (SOFIA KOVALEVSKAYA)
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January 15, 1850 - February 10, 1891, born Moscow, Russia
After obtaining her Ph.D. in Mathematics, finally obtained job as a professor at the
University of Stockholm. Russian Universalities would not hire a woman. Became
the first woman since the physicist Laura Bassi and Maria Gaetana Agnesi to hold a
chair at a European university. Her struggle to obtain the best education available
which began to open doors at universities to women.
Father papered her walls with calculus notes when she was a young girl.
Had to get married to travel abroad to study mathematics at a university; women
were not allowed to take university courses in Russia at that time.
Won the Prix Bordi, a prestigious mathematics prize given by the Academy of
Sciences founded in St Petersburg.
Famous Quote It is impossible to be a mathematician without being a poet in soul.
LAGRANGE , JOSEPH-LOUIS
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January 25, 1736 – April 10, 1813; Turin, Sardinia-Piedmont, Italy
His most prominent influence was his contribution to the metric system and his
addition of a decimal base, which is in place largely due to his plan. Some refer to
Lagrange as the founder of the Metric System. Lagrange is also known for a great
deal of work on planetary motion. He was responsible for developing the
groundwork for an alternate method of writing Newton's Equations of Motion. This
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is referred to as 'Lagrangian Mechanics'.
Considered to be the Italian born French mathematician
Interest in math started when he was a child and for the most part, he was a selftaught mathematician.
Discoveries were important to the not yet named subject of 'Calculus'
Famous Quote Before we take to sea we walk on land. Before we create we must understand.
LAPLACE , PIERRE-SIMON
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March 23, 1749 (born in Beaumont-en-Auge, Normandy, France) –
March 5, 1827 (died in Paris, France)
Brought up in a comfortable household, Laplace attended Benedictine priory school
in Beaumont-en-Auge from age 7-16. His father wanted him to take a position in
the church. He later attended Caen University to study Theology, however he
became distracted as he discovered his passion for Mathematics. Without a degree,
he left for Paris and was connected with d'Alembert from Le Canu who helped him
obtain a paid position. Laplace became a professor who taught Mathematics at
École Militaire. One of his first papers he composed was on the maxima and
minima of curves. It took a closer look at the work of Lagrange. And was later
published and then translated into Latin. After several discouraging years of not
being elected, Laplace was finally elected in 1773 into an adjoint in the Académie
des Sciences. Prior to his election, he had noted the orbit of the planets, and their
movement according to the moon. These observations led to his discovery of the
stability of the solar system. Other studies of interest led him to understand the idea
of probability and differential equations better. He worked with other members of
the committee of the Académie des Sciences to help establish the metric system.
The committee’s work was suppressed by the Reign of Terror and was also quickly
taken off then committee. He fled Paris with his family and was not harmed during
the Revolution. Laplace wrote the Exposition which consisted of five books. The
first of the five books was a book on the motion of the celestial bodies, the motion
of the sea, and the atmosphere. The second book was on the motion of the celestial
bodies. The third was on force and momentum. The fourth on the theory of the
universal gravitation and the motion of the sea and the shape of the earth. The last
and final book gave reference to the history of astronomy and included his famous
nebular hypothesis. He wrote several pieces which were published, he continued to
study probability and played a huge role in the study of Physics.
Laplace often boasted that he was the best mathematician in France, he was not
modest.
Laplace is thought to have come from an unintelligent family. His uncle might have
taught mathematics in a secondary school setting.
Laplace married Marie-Charlotte de Courty de Romanges who was 20 years
younger than him.
In 1806 Laplace became count of the Empire.
It is India that gave us the ingenious method of expressing all numbers by means of
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ten symbols, each symbol receiving a value of position as well as an absolute value;
a profound and important idea which appears so simple to us now that we ignore its
true merit. But its very simplicity and the great ease which it has lent to
computations put our arithmetic in the first rank of useful inventions; and we shall
appreciate the grandeur of the achievement the more when we remember that it
escaped the genius of Archimedes and Apollonius, two of the greatest men
produced by antiquity.
LEGENDRE, ADRIEN-MARIE
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LEIBNIZ, GOTTFRIED VON
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LOVELACE, AUGUSTA ADA
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MÖBIUS, AUGUST
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Born: 17 Nov 1790 in Schulpforta, Saxony (now Germany)
Died: 26 Sept 1868 in Leipzig, Germany
Möbius is best know for his work on topology, and his Möbius strip, which is a twodimensional surface with only one side. It can be constructed in three dimensions as
follows. Take a rectangular strip of paper and join the two ends of the strip together
so that it has a 180 degree twist. It is now possible to start at a point A on the surface
and trace out a path that passes through the point which is apparently on the other
side of the surface from A. He also worked in projective geometry and produced a
configuration now called a Möbius net.
Möbius was educated at home until he was 13 years old when, already showing an
interest in mathematics, he went to the College in Schulpforta in 1803.
It would appear that he was not a particularly good lecturer and this made his life
difficult since he did not attract fee-paying students to his lectures. He was forced to
advertise his lecture courses as being free of charge before students thought his
courses worth taking.
When faced with the prospect of being drafted into the army while writing his
thesis, Möbius responded: “This is the most horrible idea I have heard of, and
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anyone who shall venture, dare, hazard, make bold and have the audacity to propose
it will not be safe from my dagger.”
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NAPIER, JOHN
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1550 – April 4, 1617 born in Edinburgh, Scotland
He invented logarithms, which made numerical calculations easier, more accurate,
and less time consuming. His method reduced multiplying and dividing to adding
and subtracing. (He also invented the Napier rods…an early form of a slide rule)
He proved that one of his workers was a thief by having the workers that have
nothing to hide touch the rooster in a private room. He had previously put oil on the
rooster. The thief didn’t have oil on his hands because he had something to hide.
He was from a wealthy heritage and lived in Merchiston Castle
Napier took part in the religious controversies of the time. He was a fervent
Protestant and published, what he considered his most important work, the Plaine
Discovery of the Whole Revelation of St. John (1593).
Seeing there is nothing that is so troublesome to mathematical practice, nor that doth
more molest and hinder calculators, than the multiplications, divisions, square and
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cubical extractions of great numbers ... I began therefore to consider in my mind by
what certain and ready art I might remove those hindrances.
NEWTON, SIR ISAAC
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January 4, 1643, Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England- March 31,
1727, London, England
The greatest English mathematician of his generation. He laid the foundation for
differential and integral calculus. His work on optics and gravitation make him one
of the greatest scientists the world has known.
Newton’s life can be separated into three periods: Period One , Birth to 1669, when
he was appointed to a chair. Period Two, 1669-1687, when he was Lucasian
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professor at Cambridge. Period Three, 1687-1727, as a highly paid government
official in London with little further interest in mathematical research.
Famous Quote If I have been able to see further, it was only because I stood on the shoulders of
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giants. Letter to Robert Hooke
NIGHTINGALE, FLORENCE
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NOETHER, EMMY
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NORWOOD, JANET
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PASCAL, BLAISE
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POLYA, GEORGE
Born December 13, 1887 in Budapest, Hungary
Died September 7, 1985 in Palo Alto, California
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Work in problem solving
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He was more concerned with the problem solving process than a precise solution
How to Solve It
Polya was physically strong and active, participating in soccer and wrestling.
Occasionally ran away from home, usually just to wander the streets of Budapest
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His favorite subjects were languages and literature
His philosophy professor was the one who convinced him to take his first courses of
college mathematics
His brother, Jeno, was killed in Europe for being a Jew
“If there is a problem you can't solve, then there is an easier problem you can solve:
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find it.”
PTOLEMY, CLAUDIUS
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About 85 Egypt- about 165 Alexandria, Egypt
Being the most influential of Greek astronomers and geographers of his time. He
propounded the geocentric theory that prevailed for 1400 years.
Although Ptolemy’s scientific observations have served for centuries, little is known
about his life.
There is little evidence that Ptolemy ever left Alexandria.
When I trace at my pleasure the windings to and fro of the heavenly bodies, I no
longer touch the earth with my feet: I stand in the presence of Zeus himself and take
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my fill of ambrosia, food of the gods. Quoted in C B Boyer, A History of
Mathematics (New York 1968)
PYTHAGORAS
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RAMANUJAN, CHIDAMBARAM
Born December 22, 1887 in Rode, Tamil Nadu state, India
Died April 26, 1920 in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu state, India
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Work in number theory, elliptic functions, continued fractions and infinite series
Lost his university scholarship because he devoted too much of his time to
mathematics and neglected his other studies.
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He independently developed and discovered many theorems and principles that are
attributed to other mathematicians
Famous Quote “An equation means nothing to me unless it expresses a thought of God.”
RIEMANN, G F BERNHARD
Born September 17, 1826 in Breselenz, Hanover (now Germany)
Died July 20, 1866 in Selasca, Italy
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Riemann sums (or Riemann integrals) of calculus
Work in the geometry of space and theoretical physics
Married at 36, died at 40
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Was outside working on his current work the day before his death from long-term
health problems
Famous Quote “If only I had the theorems! Then I should find the proofs easily enough.”
ROBINSON, JULIA BOWMAN
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December 8, 1919, St. Louis, Missouri, USA-July 30, 1985, USA
Working on computability, decision problems and non-standard models of
arithmetic.
In the 50’s, Robinson spent six years dabbling in politics.
She was the first woman to be elected into the National Academy of Sciences in
1976.
She was also the first woman officer of the American Mathematical Society in 1978,
and its first woman president in 1982.
What I really am is a mathematician. Rather than being remembered as the first
Famous Quote woman this or that, I would prefer to be remembered, as a mathematician should,
simply for the theorems I have proved and the problems I have solved.
SIERPINKSI , WACLAW
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SMULLYAN, RAYMOND M
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(1919 -
), born in Far Rockaway, Long Island, NYC, USA
Retrograde analysis chess problems (determining what has already happened based
on current position), and puzzles
Never seemed to settle into conventional schooling
Dropped out of high school
Attended college in Oregon and in a number of other states
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Never completed enough credits for a BS, but was awarded the degree by a waiver
of a Calculus class that he had never taken, but was currently teaching at another
university.
Studied music and taught music at the university level
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Performed a magic show to make ends meet
“Some people are always critical of vague statements. I tend rather to be critical of
precise statements; they are the only ones which can correctly be labeled 'wrong'.”
“Why should I be worried about dying? It's not going to happen in my lifetime!”
SOMERVILLE
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THALES
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VENN, JOHN
Born August 4, 1834 in Hull, England
Died April 4, 1923 in Cambridge, England
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Venn diagrams
Built machines, including a machine for bowling cricket balls which clean bowled
(the cricket equivalent of striking out) a star Australian cricket player four times
“Logic (and therefore probability as a branch of logic) is not concerned with what
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men do believe, but what they ought to believe, if they are to believe correctly.”
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WEIERSTRASS, KARL
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WILES, ANDREW
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YANG HUI
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ZENO OF ELEA
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Born: about 490 BC in Elea, Lucania (now southern Italy)
Died: about 425 BC in Elea, Lucania (now southern Italy)
Zeno is best known for his book of 40 paradoxes
None of Zeno’s works have survived to this day, but many notable mathematicians,
including Plato and Aristotle, quote him.
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Plato states that Socrates, who was then young, met Zeno and Parmenides on their
visit to Athens and philosophized together
There is no motion because that which is moved must arrive at the middle of its
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course before it arrives at the end.