Historical facts about mathematics
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I don’t talk about this much, but the follow-up to my 2010 book on Fibonacci was supposed to be a picture book biography on the life of the German mathematician, Carl Gauss.
My publisher actually “bought” the book, accepted my manuscript, and paid me the first half of my advance. And then years later, they backed out of the entire deal, claiming the children’s book market had “changed.” Because of that series about the boy wizard, parents were no longer buying their kids “baby books.”
So I was SOL. They allowed me to keep the advance. And I now have a bone to pick with J.K. Rowling the next time we meet.
Years ago, I compiled a handwritten list of notes after reading two serious, grown-up books on the life of Gauss. What did I learn about this brilliant man? Plenty, but it was the odd little things that stayed with me. I made a list of his quirks, likes, and dislikes. Here they are.
• He smoked a pipe.
• He liked wine.
• He often wore a little velvet cap.
• He calculated the date of his own birthday because his mother forgot when he was born.
• He liked songs and kept a li
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7 Fascinating Facts about Sir Isaac Newton
Sometimes called the father of modern science, Isaac Newton revolutionized our understanding of our world. He was a real Renaissance man with accomplishments in several fields, including astronomy, physics and mathematics. Newton gave us new theories on gravity, planetary motion and optics. With the publication of Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica in 1687, Newton lay the groundwork for modern physics. It also cemented his position as one of the leading minds of his age.
Today we celebrate Newton’s birthday as January 4th. Originally, according to the “old” Julien calendar, he was born on Christmas Day in 1642. No matter what the case, Newton lived an amazing life. Here are a few interesting tidbits about this important figure in the scientific revolution:
Newton’s life got off to a rough start
He never knew his father Isaac, who had died months before he was born. Newton’s own chances of survival seemed slim at the beginning. He was a premature and sickly infant that some thought would not live long. Newton was dealt
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Mathematics is a field that some people shy away from, but there are some famous mathematicians who had a passion for numbers throughout our history books. They looked for ways to understand the world as it relates to mathematics and their contributions have been very important for their generation and beyond. We compiled a list of famous mathematicians and their discoveries over the years.
Brahmagupta (598-668 CE)
Brahmagupta’s work comprised of the rules to compute with zero. It was traditionally used as a place holder. He also wrote some important works on astronomy alongside mathematics. The seventh-century Indian mathematician showcased examples such as how to find the cube and cube-root of an integer and gave rules regarding squares and square roots. Read more.
Isaac Newton (1643- 1727)
Isaac Newton is perhaps most well-known for his legend on developing the universal laws of gravity. It is known that a young Isaac Newton was sitting under an apple tree when he was struck on the head by a fruit. This lead to his crucible moment, to develop some of the mo
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