Transcript Three Great Mathematicians

Three Great Mathematicians
By : Samantha Lawson
Aryabhatta (476-550)
• Indian mathematicians excelled for thousands of years, and
eventually even developed advanced techniques but they are
denied credit because of Western ascendancy. Among the Hindu
mathematicians, Aryabhatta may be most famous. During Europe’s
“Dark Ages”, Aryabhatta advanced arithmetic, algebra, elementary
analysis, and especially trigonometry, using the decimal system.
Aryabhatta is occasionally known as "Father of Algebra“. His most
famous accomplishment in mathematics was the Aryabhatta
Algorithm for solving Diophantine equations. Aryabhatta made
several important discoveries in astronomy. He was among the
ancient scholars who realized the Earth rotated daily on an axis.
• Aryabhatta is said to have introduced the constant e. He used π ≈
3.1416. Among theorems first discovered by Aryabhatta is the
famous identity Σ (k3) = (Σ k)2.
Contributions
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Place value system and zero
Pi as irrational
Mensuration and trigonometry
Indeterminate equations
Algebra
Pictures of Aryabhatta
Maria Gaetana Agnesi (1718 - 1799)
• An Italian philosopher, linguistic and
mathematician who wrote the first book on
differential and integral calculus making her
the first important female mathematician
after Hypatia.
• She came from a wealthy family who made
their money from silk.
• Concentrated efforts on studying religious
books and learning mathematics.
Contributions
• The first woman in the Western world who
could accurately be called a mathematician.
• credited with writing the first book discussing
differential and integral calculus
• best introduction to the works of Euler
• Example of the curve: y = 8a3/(x2 + 4a2)
where a is any non-zero constant.
Fun Facts
• Spoke 7 languages: French, Italian, Greek,
Hebrew, Spanish, German and Latin.
• recognized as a child prodigy.
• Lived in an conventual semi-retirement, avoiding
all.
• interactions with society.
• 2nd woman to be appointed professor at
university.
• A crater on Venus was named in her honor.
Pictures of Maria Gaetana Agnesi
Isaac Newton (1643-1727)
• Born as the only son of a prosperous local
farmer.
• Named after his father who was also Isaac
Newton.
• An established physicist and mathematician.
• Known as one of the great minds of the 17th
century.
…Continued
• Born premature.
• Newton was expected not to live.
• Acclaimed as one of the world's foremost
thinkers.
• Remained deeply insecure and paranoid.
• Believed Gottfried Leibniz had stolen the
discovery of calculus from him.
• Capable of great generosity and kindness.
• Had psychological problems.
• Later had a nervous breakdown in mid-1693.
Contributions
• Calculated a derivative function f(x).
• method of fluxions.
• He named the instantaneous rate of change at
a point on a curve the fluxion.
• He also named the changing values of x and y
the fluent.
• Credited with the generalized binomial
theorem.
…Continued
• One of the first to use fractional exponents and
coordinate geometry to derive solutions.
• a2 - b2.
• f(x + b) - f(x + a).
• Algebraic equations with integer-only variables.
• Found better approximations to the zeroes or
roots of a function.
• The first to use infinite power series with any
confidence.
Pictures of Sir Isaac Newton
Pictures of Isaac Newton's work
Sources
• www.buzzel.com
• www.biography.com
• http://www.storyofmathematics.com/17th_n
ewton.html
• http://www.space.com/15898-isaacnewton.html