2.11 Introduction to the Famous Scientists
189
de motu pendularium (1673), Traité de la lumière (1690) and Cosmotheoros (1698)
etc., latter there were Oeuvres complètes (22 volumes in total, 1888–1950).
Newton (Isaac, 1642.1.4–1727.3.31) British mathematician, physicist, astronomer
and natural philosopher. Born in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, died in Kensington, Middlesex, England. In 1661 was admitted to Trinity College, University of
Cambridge with honors. Got a bachelor’s degree in 1665. got a master’s degree in
1668. Served as the Lucasian professor of Mathematics in 1669. Took up the post of
warden of the Royal Mint in 1696, became the Master of the Mint in 1699. Was elected
the President of the Royal Society in 1703. Was knighted in 1705. In mathematics
the most outstanding contributions was to create the calculus, had great contributions in algebra, number theory, analytic geometry, curve classification, culculus of
variations, probability theory, mechanics, optics and astronomy etc. many fields, was
one of the greatest scientists in human history, was acclaimed as a giant in mathematics. The works had De Analysi per Aequationes Numero Terminorum Infinitas
(completed in 1669, published in 1711), Methodus Fluxionum et Serierum Infinitarum (completed in 1671, published in 1736), De quadratura curvarum (completed in
1676, published in 1704) and Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1687)
etc.
Bernoulli (Jacob, 1654.12.27–1705.8.16) Swiss mathematician. Born and died in
Basel. Received a master’s degree in arts in 1671 and a master’s degree in theology
in 1676 respectively. Served as a professor of mathematics at the University of Basel
in 1687. Was elected a foreign academician of the French Academy of Sciences in
1699. Had studied many kinds of special curves, such as catenary, lemniscate and
logarithmic spiral, initiated the term of integral in mathematical sense, invented the
polar coordinates, introduced the Bernoulli numbers in the power series expansion
of tan(x) function. Put forward the Bernoulli equation in differential equations. Laid
the foundation of variational methods with his brother John Bernoulli, presented
and partly solved the brachistochrone problem and isoperimetric problem. In 1704,
published the book Propositiones arithmeticae de seriebus infintis aerumque summa
finita. In the magnum opus Ars Conjectandi published in 1713 gave the Bernoulli
numbers and Bernoulli law of large numbers. Many terms of probability were named
after his name. Also had the certain achievements in arithmetic, algebra, geometry
and physics etc. research.
L’Hospital (Guillaume François Antoine, Marquis de, 1661–1704.2.2) French mathematician. Born and died in Paris. Had acted as a cavalry officer, latter turned to
academic research. At the age of 15 worked out the cycloid problem posed by Pascal
(Blaise, 1623.6.19–1662.8.19). In the long-term communication with other mathematicians germinated many new ideas in science, solved the brachistochrone etc.
problems, the main contribution was he inherited Leibniz and Bernoulli brothers’
calculus thought system, one of the pioneers of the calculus. A fellow of the Paris
Academy of Sciences. The work had Analyse des Infiniment Petits pour l’Intelligence
des Lignes Courbes (1696), in the book, conducted a systematic description to the
concepts of variable, dimensionless, tangent and differential etc., it was first systemic
calculus textbook in the world, had played an important role in the transmission for
the theory of differential and integral calculus. the book recorded a famous theorem
189
de motu pendularium (1673), Traité de la lumière (1690) and Cosmotheoros (1698)
etc., latter there were Oeuvres complètes (22 volumes in total, 1888–1950).
Newton (Isaac, 1642.1.4–1727.3.31) British mathematician, physicist, astronomer
and natural philosopher. Born in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, died in Kensington, Middlesex, England. In 1661 was admitted to Trinity College, University of
Cambridge with honors. Got a bachelor’s degree in 1665. got a master’s degree in
1668. Served as the Lucasian professor of Mathematics in 1669. Took up the post of
warden of the Royal Mint in 1696, became the Master of the Mint in 1699. Was elected
the President of the Royal Society in 1703. Was knighted in 1705. In mathematics
the most outstanding contributions was to create the calculus, had great contributions in algebra, number theory, analytic geometry, curve classification, culculus of
variations, probability theory, mechanics, optics and astronomy etc. many fields, was
one of the greatest scientists in human history, was acclaimed as a giant in mathematics. The works had De Analysi per Aequationes Numero Terminorum Infinitas
(completed in 1669, published in 1711), Methodus Fluxionum et Serierum Infinitarum (completed in 1671, published in 1736), De quadratura curvarum (completed in
1676, published in 1704) and Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1687)
etc.
Bernoulli (Jacob, 1654.12.27–1705.8.16) Swiss mathematician. Born and died in
Basel. Received a master’s degree in arts in 1671 and a master’s degree in theology
in 1676 respectively. Served as a professor of mathematics at the University of Basel
in 1687. Was elected a foreign academician of the French Academy of Sciences in
1699. Had studied many kinds of special curves, such as catenary, lemniscate and
logarithmic spiral, initiated the term of integral in mathematical sense, invented the
polar coordinates, introduced the Bernoulli numbers in the power series expansion
of tan(x) function. Put forward the Bernoulli equation in differential equations. Laid
the foundation of variational methods with his brother John Bernoulli, presented
and partly solved the brachistochrone problem and isoperimetric problem. In 1704,
published the book Propositiones arithmeticae de seriebus infintis aerumque summa
finita. In the magnum opus Ars Conjectandi published in 1713 gave the Bernoulli
numbers and Bernoulli law of large numbers. Many terms of probability were named
after his name. Also had the certain achievements in arithmetic, algebra, geometry
and physics etc. research.
L’Hospital (Guillaume François Antoine, Marquis de, 1661–1704.2.2) French mathematician. Born and died in Paris. Had acted as a cavalry officer, latter turned to
academic research. At the age of 15 worked out the cycloid problem posed by Pascal
(Blaise, 1623.6.19–1662.8.19). In the long-term communication with other mathematicians germinated many new ideas in science, solved the brachistochrone etc.
problems, the main contribution was he inherited Leibniz and Bernoulli brothers’
calculus thought system, one of the pioneers of the calculus. A fellow of the Paris
Academy of Sciences. The work had Analyse des Infiniment Petits pour l’Intelligence
des Lignes Courbes (1696), in the book, conducted a systematic description to the
concepts of variable, dimensionless, tangent and differential etc., it was first systemic
calculus textbook in the world, had played an important role in the transmission for
the theory of differential and integral calculus. the book recorded a famous theorem