Famous Male Mathematicians

Name: Archimedes Gender: Male Birth Date: 287 B.C. Death Date: 212 B.C. Reasons He is Famous: Archimedes invented integral calculus and made entire subject better. He used geometry in many ways, and expanded how it was used in mathematics. He discovered the ratio “pi.” He invented many things like the “Archimedes Screw” and a kind of pulley. Biography: Archimedes was born in Syracuse, Sicily in 287 B.C. His father, Phidias, was an astronomer. Because he lived so long ago, there is very little information on his life. We know nothing about his childhood, and the only thing we know about his education is that he studied in Alexandria, Egypt. Archimedes was a well-known inventor and mathematician. He invented many important items like the “Archimedes Screw” which was used as a pump to move water for irrigation. Archimedes also invented many different war weapons that were used to protect his city during the Punic Wars. Without Archimedes, his city would have been destroyed. Archimedes also invented the compound pulley, which has changed our world. This pulley allows people to move large objects using very little force. Even though Archimedes invented many things, he is better known for the work he did in math. He is said to have invented most of our modern version of Calculus through new integration techniques. He also was one of the first people to correctly describe and define pi. His most famous idea was “Archimedes’ Principle.” This theory can be used to find the weight of an object that is under water. In 212 B.C., Archimedes was killed in his home town, Syracuse, Sicily, during the Second Punic War. He died in battle trying to protect his village. His math theories were not widely known and respected until many years after his death. His inventions continue to help us today, and his math has helped many scientists to develop ideas that have improved our life. For these reasons, it is safe to say we would never be where we are today without Archimedes. Name: Jacques Bernoulli Gender: Male Birth Date: December 27, 1654 Death Date: August 16, 1705 Reasons He is Famous: Bernoulli developed many important theories in probability as well as the “Bernoulli Equation” in calculus. He also helped calculate important values in calculus such as convergence and divergence of infinite series. Biography: Jacques Bernoulli was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1654. His father, Nicolaus Bernoulli was an important person in the town government, and made a lot of money in the spice market. In school, Jacques’ parents forced him to study philosophy and theology. Even though Jacques did not like either subject, he graduated with a master’s degree in both from the University of Basel. While he was at the University, he managed to study mathematics and astronomy in his free time. After college, Jacques moved to Geneva where he became a tutor. In 1683, Jacques returned to Basel, Switzerland where he became a teacher at the University of Basel. He taught mechanics. Jacques loved math and physics, and did much research in these fields while at the university. Jacques Bernoulli wrote his first book in mathematics in 1682. In 1684, Jacques married Judith Stupanus and they had a family of two children, one boy and one girl. Jacques was appointed to professor of mathematics at the University of Basel in 1687. It was at this time Jacques began teaching math to his younger brother in secret because their parents did not want him to study math. Very soon after this, Jacques got into a fight with his brother, and the two never spoke again. Jacques made many contributions to the world of mathematics. He wrote many books and pamphlets on algebra, logic, geometry, and probability theories. All of his work in probabilities led him to develop important theories in Calculus, such as divergence and convergence of infinite series. He is also famous for developing the “Bernoulli Equation” in calculus. Jacques Bernoulli died in Basel, Switzerland in 1705. He continued to hold his position as the Chair of Mathematics at the University of Basel until his death. Jacques loved math so much, he had a mathematical graph carved into his tombstone. Name: János Bolyai Gender: Male Birth Date: December 15, 1802 Death Date: January 27, 1860 Reasons He is Famous: He developed a very important theory in geometry called “Absolute Geometry.” Biography: János Bolyai was born in Kolozsvár, Hungary in 1802. His parents were Zsuzsanna (mother) and Farkas (father) Bolyai. János’ father was a professor of mathematics, physics, and chemistry in Marosvásárhely. János grew up in a poor household where his parents fought often. He did not go to school when he was a child because his father thought it was important for him to do physical work. He worked during the day, and his father taught him math at night. János taught himself to read and write as well as to play music. His father always wanted him to be a mathematician, so he did not have a choice of what to study. By the age of 13 János had mastered the highest levels of calculus. Because János’ family was poor, they could not send him to the best mathematics school to improve his gift, so instead he went to a military engineering school. He studied at the Royal Engineering College in Vienna. After college, he joined the military where he worked as an engineer for 11 years. János did a great job in the military and quickly was made a Captain. While in the military, János worked on his mathematics. He developed a theory of geometry that was very different from all the others at the time. This theory, now called “Absolute Geometry,” is still used today, and is very important to all mathematics. Even though he developed this very important theory, no one at the time thought it was important, and he received no recognition for his work. Because of this, he became very discouraged and quit his work in mathematics. Instead he moved to a family farm away from everyone, and fell in love with his future wife, Rozália. He and Rozália had two children and eventually got married. He continued to work on the farm and raise his family until he became old. Before he died, János moved back to his home town to be closer to his father. At home he got very sick with pneumonia and died in 1860. A school was named after János in his home town to commemorate his works in mathematics. Name: René Descartes Gender: Male Birth Date: March 31, 1596 Death Date: February 11, 1650 Reasons He is Famous: Descartes developed many theories in mathematics and physics. He used physics and mathematics to describe the universe which helped future scholars to develop the methods of solving problems we use today. His book, Principia Philosophiae, is said to be his best work. Biography: René Descartes was born in La Haye, Tournaine, France in 1596. He was a brilliant child and impressed his teachers early. He entered college when he was only 8 years old. He studied classics, logic, and philosophy for 8 years at the Jesuit college of La Flèche in Anjou. He really loved mathematics, so in his free time he often studied all fields of mathematics. After college, he moved to Paris, where he kept to himself and got a law degree from the University of Poitiers in 1616. After Paris, Descartes enlisted in the military school at Breda, Germany, where he trained to be a solider. After the military academy, Descartes traveled around Europe for two years and eventually enlisted in the Bavarian army in 1619. Later Descartes became tired of traveling and decided to stay in Holland. In Holland, Descartes began major work on his studies of physics. Even though he studied physics, he was careful to base everything he did off of mathematics. Through physics, Descartes published many papers on meteorology and optics. In 1644, Descartes published his major work, Principia Philosophiae, which attempted to describe everything in the universe using mathematics. Although his methods have been proven wrong, some of his ideas have been used to develop equations we use today, including ideas of physical forces. In 1649, the queen of Sweden asked Descartes to move to her country to teach her mathematics. Descartes moved, and worked every morning with the queen at 5 A.M. After a year of working in the cold, wet, climate of Sweden in the early mornings, Descartes contracted pneumonia and died in 1650, in Stockholm, Sweden. Name: Albert Einstein Gender: Male Birth Date: March 14, 1879 Death Date: April 18, 1955 Reasons He is Famous: Even though he did poorly in school, he still became world famous in science and math. He developed many theories in math and physics, his most famous was the Theory of Relativity. He won many awards, including the Nobel Prize in 1921. Biography: Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Württemberg, Germany in 1879. He was a very smart child. He didn’t start school until he was 7 years old but by the age of 13 he was already a master at playing the violin, and was very good in Calculus. In school he studied mathematics, while at home his parents taught him religion. In 1888 he entered Luitpold Gymnasium, which was a high school for gifted students. Einstein wanted to be an Electrical Engineer, but he was rejected admission from college after he failed the entrance exam in 1895. Einstein was very upset about failing. Einstein eventually entered college and studied Physics and Mathematics in Zurich, Germany. He wanted to be a teacher because he thought he was not smart enough to be an engineer or a scientist. So, in 1900, he graduated with a teaching degree in theoretical mathematics and physics. Even though he graduated, Einstein did not do well in college, and he had a hard time finding a teaching job. In 1902, one of his college friends helped him get a job at a patent office in Bern, Germany. At the patent office he had a lot of free time, so he was able to write many books on theoretical mathematics and physics. In 1905, one of his books was noticed by the University of Zurich, and they gave him a doctorate. Einstein traveled as a professor at a couple universities. Einstein soon became known around the world for his theory of relativity. He traveled to America in 1920 to lecture at Princeton University. He traveled around the world giving lectures, and in 1921 he received the Nobel Prize for Physics. In 1932, Einstein was offered a teaching position at Princeton University, and since World War II was beginning, he quickly accepted and moved to America. Einstein did not like war, and although he continued to travel around the world to teach, he also promoted world peace. In 1944, he sold the original copy of his theory of relativity for 6 million dollars, and he donated the money to peace efforts. During World War II, his theories were used to make the atomic bomb, which killed thousands of people. This really upset Einstein and he felt really guilty for it. After the atomic bomb was used, he wrote many papers on why nuclear weapons should be destroyed. Albert Einstein became very sick in 1948, and died in 1955 in Trenton, New Jersey, USA. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in an unknown location. Name: Eratosthenes Gender: Male Birth Date: 276 B.C. Death Date: 194 B.C. Reasons He is Famous: He used math and geometry to calculate distances in space and the size of planets, including earth. He also developed the calendar system and theories in prime numbers and making copies of cubes. Biography: Eratosthenes was born in Cyrene. He grew up and studied under many of the world’s smartest people of his day. He learned philosophy and poetry early in life. When he was older, he moved to Athens to study. Eratosthenes soon became a librarian at the Library in Alexandria, which was a world-famous library where the smartest people of the day went to study. At this job, Eratosthenes wrote his first book, Platonicus, which described the use of mathematics in subjects such as such as geometry, arithmetic, and even music. Eratosthenes spent much of his time working on a problem that involved making a copy of a cube. He invented machines and equations for doing this, which was a very difficult thing to do during his time. Eratosthenes also worked on prime numbers and developed what is now known as the “Sieve of Eratosthenes,” which is an important tool in number theory. Eratosthenes also did a lot of work and writing on the subject of geometry. He was able to calculate the girth of the Earth even though he had no tool, calculator, or telescopes. He also measured the distance to the moon and the sun, and plotted a pretty accurate map of stars in the sky. Finally, Eratosthenes developed a system of dates and chronology including a calendar that accounted for a leap year. Eratosthenes was a scholar in all fields. He wrote stories, poems, and academic books. He also helped develop ideas in geometry, astrology, meteorology, arithmetic, geology, geography, and mathematics. When he became old, he went blind. His blindness led him to commit suicide by starving himself to death. He died in Alexandria, Egypt in 194 B.C. Name: Euclid of Alexandria Gender: Male Birth Date: 325 B.C. Death Date: 265 B.C. Reasons He is Famous: Euclid was a great teacher of mathematics. His book, The Elements, served as a base for geometry still taught today. His laws and concepts are used in all fields. He serves as a perfect example of good education and mathematics taught through proof. Biography: Euclid is the most well-known ancient mathematician. He became famous and remains famous for his major book, The Elements. Little is known about Euclid’s life except that he taught in Alexandria, Egypt. The Elements was a book of mathematics that was used to teach students for over 2000 years. It is a work of 13 books that describe everything from geometry to number theory, to irrational numbers. Students would come from across the globe to study under Euclid. His book established geometry that forms the base of our modern geometry. His laws deal with complementary and supplementary angles, the number of degrees in a circle, and right angles. He wrote about geometry and includes shapes such as squares, triangles, rhombi, circles, and planes. He developed theory on polygons as well. Euclid died in Alexandria, Egypt in 265 B.C. Name: Leonhard Euler Gender: Male Birth Date: April 15, 1707 Death Date: September 18, 1783 Reasons He is Famous: Euler developed methods of geometry and calculus that are very important today. Most important is his notation of pi, functions, and ‘e’, “Euler’s Number.” Biography: Leonard Euler was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1707. His father taught theology at the University of Basel. His father also was very good in math, and he taught Leonard a lot of math in his younger years. His father’s teaching inspired him to become a mathematician. When he was old enough, Euler was sent to live with his grandmother while he went to school in the city. His school was very poor, however, and he did not learn any new mathematics; so, in his free time, he studied as much math as he could, and took private lessons when he had the money. Euler entered college at the University of Basel when he was only 14 years old in 1720. His father wanted him to study theology and Leonard wanted to study math, so the compromise was a few years of general studies. In 1723, Euler completed a Master’s degree in philosophy and convinced his father to allow him to study mathematics. He completed his degree in mathematics in 1726, and immediately won many awards for his work. He taught in St. Petersburg, Russia and in Berlin, Germany during the years that followed. When in Berlin, Euler produced over 380 papers on calculus, calculations of the solar system, and the motion of the moon. Euler went totally blind a few years later in 1771. Even though he was blind, Euler remembered all of his math so well he was still able to teach and study mathematics. Euler wrote more about mathematics than anyone else in history. He wrote on a wide variety of topics but focused on geometry and trigonometry. He also developed fundamental notation that all math uses today, such as the representation for a function and Euler’s number, “e.” Euler died in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1783. He was with his family, teaching his grandchildren mathematics when he suffered a brain hemorrhage. Name: Pierre de Fermat Gender: Male Birth Date: August 17, 1601 Death Date: January 12, 1665 Reasons He is Famous: He developed many important theories in mathematics dealing with number theory and infinity. His ideas were used by Euler to develop much Euler’s ideas which are still used today. Biography: Pierre de Fermat was born in Beaumont-de-Lomagne, France. Although there is no record of his early life and we do not know what school he went to, experts say he probably went to school at a monastery in France. After early school, he went to the University of Toulouse in France. He soon switched to the University of Bordeaux where he began his deep mathematical studies. After Bordeaux, he moved to Orleans where he received a law degree in 1631. He became a lawyer and worked for the government in Toulouse. While serving as a government worker, Fermat kept studying math because he really enjoyed it. He developed many theories and published papers about his work. He worked primarily on number theory and probability, but also included some applications of math’s applications in physics and mechanics. Some of these problems dealt with free-falling objects and rotating objects. Much of his work was also dealing with infinity, but he left many blanks in his work. His work inspired Euler to solve the blanks and develop new theory. Fermat died in Castres, France in 1665. Name: Johann Gauss Gender: Male Birth Date: April 30, 1777 Death Date: February 23, 1855 Reasons He is Famous: Gauss developed many important theories in mathematics and physics. He worked on magnetism, elliptical motion, and conic sections. His theories are still used today, and were the first to have predicted the orbits of planets in our solar system. Biography: Johann Gauss was born in Brunswick, Germany in 1777. He was a bright child and worked hard at his studies. He started school when he was 7 years old, and he was immediately labeled a genius because he could add the numbers between 1 to 100 in under 5 seconds. In 1788, Gauss entered high school and did so well that he was moved to a special school in 1792. In 1795, he was accepted to study mathematics at Göttingen University, but he left the university before he graduated. Even without a degree, Gauss still immediately became famous for his construction of a “perfect” 17-sided polygon, something that was thought to be impossible at the time. Gauss finally went back to college, and graduated with a doctoral degree in mathematics in 1799. Gauss could not find a job, so he became a researcher in mathematics. He published many books as a researcher, and became famous around the world. In 1805, Johann Gauss married Johanna Ostoff, and in 1807 he became the director of an observatory in Germany. Gauss had a hard time beginning in 1808 when his father died. A year later, in 1809, his wife died while giving birth to a baby boy. The baby soon died too. Very sad, Gauss stopped work for a while. The very next year, in 1810, Gauss married Johanna’s best friend, Minna. When he went back to work, he picked up right were he left off, and published many books. He studied orbits of planets in space. He continued with this work until he was 70 years old. Most of his famous papers were on mathematical statistics with an emphasis on the least squares method. Gauss’ second wife died in 1831, and his mother died in 1839. After these deaths Gauss changed his focus, and he began researching physics at the university. He developed many important theories of magnetism. The rest of Gauss’ life was spent quietly doing research. He published a few more papers, and developed valuable theories in physics. Johann Gauss died in his sleep in Göttingen, Germany in 1855. Name: Carl Jacobi Gender: Male Birth Date: December 10, 1804 Death Date: February 18, 1851 Reasons He is Famous: Jacobi worked a lot in number theory and calculus and he developed many equations that are important to the development of modern mathematics. Biography: Carl Jacobi was born in Potsdam, Germany in 1804. His father was a wealthy banker. Carl was taught as a child by his uncle, then at the age of 12, entered high school. Carl was very smart, and he became eligible to enter college after just 1 year of high school. But because he was too young, he was not allowed to go, so he stayed in high school and continued to study mathematics. Carl finally made it to college in 1821. He attended the University of Berlin and studied math. Because Carl was so advanced already though, and because Germany’s mathematics education was not very good, he had to study on his own and taught himself everything he knows. In 1825 he completed school and he accepted a job to teach at a high school. In 1826, he was offered a job by the University of Königsberg. At Königsberg he taught math and researched number theory and elliptic functions. Later at Königsberg he studied calculus and became world-famous as a great teacher in mathematics. He was promoted to the highest teaching position at the university. Carl Jacobi got the flu in 1850, then smallpox right after it, he was too weak for both diseases, and he died in Berlin, Germany in 1851. Name: Pierre Laplace Gender: Male Birth Date: March 23, 1749 Death Date: March 5, 1827 Reasons He is Famous: Laplace did great work in mathematics, astronomy, and physics. He developed the “Laplace Equation” which is still used in math and science today. He discovered the movement of planets in our solar system, and developed very useful theories on heat, light, probability, and statistics. Biography: Pierre-Simon Laplace was born in Beaumont-en-Auge, Normandy, France in 1749. He grew up in a middle class farming family that did not have much history of intelligence. His father, also named Pierre, was a cider trader. Pierre-Simon began school when he was 7 years old. His parents wanted him to prepare for a job in the church. In 1765, Pierre-Simon entered the University of Caen. He was the first in his family to go to college. He studied theology because he was planning on working for his church. At the university, Laplace quickly realized he loved mathematics, and his teachers saw he was very good at it. So Laplace left the university and went to Paris to study mathematics from a private tutor. His tutor got him a job at École Militaire, a college in Paris, where he taught math. In Paris he quickly began publishing papers. He really enjoyed calculus, and wrote most of his papers on that subject. He also worked very hard on astronomy and probability. In the 1770’s Laplace became world famous for his research on the solar system. In 1780, Laplace began to focus on physics, particularly heat and combustion. Laplace got married on May 15, 1788, to Marie-Charlotte de Courty de Romanges. They had two children, their son Charles-Emile who was born in 1789 went on to a military career. In 1805, while continuing his studies in math and physics, he was elected into government in France by Napoleon. He stayed in politics for several years, but eventually left to do research. Laplace wrote many papers in physics in the late years of his life, including subjects like heat, light, and movements of planets in the solar system. In math, he discovered an equation called the “Laplace Equation” that is still used in all sciences today. Pierre-Simon Laplace died in Paris, France in 1827. Out of respect, his friends did not work on the day he died, and the organizations he belonged to suspended meetings for six months. Name: Sir. Isaac Newton Gender: Male Birth Date: January 4, 1643 Death Date: March 31, 1727 Reasons He is Famous: Isaac Newton is well known in both physics and mathematics. In physics he developed many important laws that are still used today and changed the world, called, “Newton’s Laws.” In mathematics, Newton developed the single most important contribution known to date, and that is integral calculus. Biography: Isaac Newton was born in Lincolnshire, England in 1643. His father was a farmer, but died before Isaac was born. His mother married another man, and left Isaac with his grandmother. Isaac was treated as an orphan and did not like his step-father, so his childhood was very unhappy. Isaac attended a common high school in England but did not get good grades. He loved learning though and continued to work hard in school to get accepted to the university. His hard work paid off and in 1661 he was accepted to Trinity College Cambridge. At Cambridge, Isaac really loved philosophy, so he wanted to get a law degree. He first found his love of math when reading an astrology book. Since then, Newton studied mathematics, physics, and science, eventually getting his degree in 1665. After receiving his degree, he studied calculus and eventually developed integral calculus. He also worked in physics dealing with optics and mechanics. He continued and did great work in astrophysics and developed several laws of physics that changed science forever. These laws are still used today. In his older years he continued his math and science research, but also became a worker for the government. He served as a government worker until he died in England in 1727. Name: Blaise Pascal Gender: Male Birth Date: June 19, 1623 Death Date: August 19, 1662 Reasons He is Famous: Pascal invented the “Pascal Triangle” which showed relationship between numbers that helped in Isaac Newton’s discoveries. He also developed the first digital calculator. In addition to these he contributed greatly to game theory and probability. Biography: Blaise Pascal was born in Auvergne, France in 1623. His mother died after he was born, so he was raised by his father. His father did not trust schools, so he taught Blaise himself. He did not want Blaise to be a mathematician, so he did not allow math in the house, but Blaise loved math and began to study it without his father knowing. Blaise became very good at math, and when his father found out, he was very impressed at how good Blaise was. Blaise really enjoyed geometry, and wrote his first paper in 1639 on sections of shapes. In 1645, Blaise wanted to help his father with his taxes, so he invented a digital calculator for him. This was the first digital calculator ever made. In his studies of math Pascal really enjoyed geometry. He focused on probability, conic sections, planar geometry, and number theory. He eventually discovered relationships between numbers that led to the “Pascal Triangle” which is used in math and aided in Newton’s discoveries. Pascal died in Paris, France in 1662 from cancer. Name: Pythagoras Gender: Male Birth Date: 569 B.C. Death Date: 475 B.C. Reasons He is Famous: Pythagoras can be called the first pure mathematician. He combined the arts with the sciences and mathematics to develop a logic that was unequalled. His teaching methods are still used today. In math, his greatest contribution is his theorem the “Pythagorean Theorem,” which is used in every application of math and science. It serves as the base of geometry. Biography: Pythagoras was born in Samos, Ionia in 569 B.C. Not much is known about Pythagoras’ childhood, but he did study philosophy, art, poetry, and music. In 535 B.C., Pythagoras went to Egypt to be a priest. He really enjoyed mathematics, and learned a lot of geometry from Egyptians in the priesthood. After his priesthood, he returned to Italy where he formed a society of mathematicians. It was a secret society and not much is known about it. At the society he studied mathematics, but his work was kept secret. Pythagoras was interested in the concept of numbers, the concept of triangles and other mathematical figures, and the idea of a proof. He worked extensively in geometry and eventually developed a world-famous equation used by mathematicians everywhere in the past, present, and future. This equation is known as the “Pythagorean Theorem.” It describes the relationship between the sides of a triangle. Pythagoras died in an unknown location in 475 B.C. How he died is also a mystery, although some say he committed suicide after his mathematics society was destroyed.