MATHEMATICIANS FOR TEST 2
Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727)
Along with but independent of Leibniz, Newton is credited with establishing the basics of
calculus. Much of his greatest work is in such diverse areas as optics, gravitation and celestial
mechanics. Most of Newton's later life was devoted to chemistry and theology.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646 - 1716)
One of the great universalists, Leibniz independently discovered the foundations of calculus. He
was also a gifted linguist (famed for his translations of Sanskrit), philosopher, lawyer and
diplomat.
The Bernoullis (1700's - three generations)
This Swiss family produced eight (8) outstanding mathematicians. Three Johanns, two Jakobs,
two Nicolauses and a Daniel. They were among the first to apply the power of calculus to
practical problems in physics and astronomy.
Leonhard Euler (1707 - 1783)
Although born in Switzerland, he spent a large part of his life in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was
extremely prolific, publishing over 500 works in his lifetime. He was blind the last 17 years of his
life. Euler analyzed the Konigsberg bridge problem (the people in Konigsberg, Germany,
frequently tried to take a Sunday stroll whose route crossed each of the seven bridges in the town
exactly once) using what are now known as Euler circuits.
Maria Agnesi (1718-1799)
Before she was 13, Maria spoke many languages including Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. Her
famous two-volume book, Analytical Institutions, took her ten years to write. It includes
discussions of algebra, geometry, and calculus. The "Witch of Agnesi", a curve first proposed
by the French mathematician Fermat and studied extensively by Agnesi, is described in the book.
Her book was so clearly written that it was translated into French and English and used as a
textbook. It is the first work of such stature that has survived that was written by a woman.
Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806)
Born in Maryland before the American Revolutionary War, the son of free black parents,
Banneker owed much of his education to his Quaker neighbors. As a teenager, he developed an
interest in mathematics, science, astronomy, and mechanics. His diverse accomplishments
included a mathematical study of the 17-year locust, the accurate prediction of solar eclipses, and
an extraordinary wooden clock that is accepted as the first clock made entirely in America.
Sophie Germain (1776-1831)
To shield 13-year old Sophie from the violence in the streets of Paris during the time of the fall of
the Bastille, her wealthy parents confined her to the family’s library. After reading about
Archimedes, she became interested in mathematics. Unable to enroll in the Ecole Polytechnique
which opened in Paris in 1794, she resorted to collecting lecture notes from professors at the
university. Her early research was in number theory. She corresponded regularly with Gauss,
who praised her work. In 1816, she produced a prize winning paper on vibrating elastic plates.
Gauss recommended her for an honorary doctorate from the University of Gottingen, but Sophie
died before she could receive the degree.
Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777 - 1855)
Along with Archimedes and Newton, Gauss is considered one of the three greatest mathematicians
of all time. A child prodigy, he made contributions in number theory, algebra and geometry as
well as physics. His motto was "Few, but ripe."
Augustin - Louis - Cauchy (1789 - 1857)
Cauchy was to a large degree responsible for bringing mathematical rigor into modern analysis.
His mathematical output was second only to Euler's. Cauchy was devoutly Catholic and ardently
partisan to the Bourbons. This led to his banishment from French university teaching for 18
years.
Charles Babbage (1792-1871)
About 1812, Babbage began to consider the construction of a machine to aid in the calculation of
mathematical tables. His difference engine and analytic engine are considered forerunners of
today’s computers. However, at the time, they were considered failures because the precision
tools necessary for building the machines were not available.