Mathematician
A mathematician is a person who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are often divided into two broad categories: pure mathematicians, who focus on abstract theories and concepts, and applied mathematicians, who use mathematical methods to solve practical problems in other fields such as physics, engineering, and economics.
Notable Mathematicians
Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, and theologian who is widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time. His work laid the foundations for classical mechanics, and he also made seminal contributions to optics and calculus. Newton's book, Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, formulates the laws of motion and universal gravitation that dominated scientists' view of the physical universe for the next three centuries.
Leonhard Euler
Leonhard Euler was a Swiss mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to various fields of mathematics, including geometry, calculus, mechanics, and number theory. Euler introduced many modern terminologies and notations, such as the concept of a mathematical function. He is also known for Euler's formula in complex analysis, Euler's identity, and Euler's totient function.
Carl Friedrich Gauss
Carl Friedrich Gauss, often referred to as the "Prince of Mathematicians," made groundbreaking contributions to number theory, algebra, statistics, analysis, differential geometry, geophysics, electrostatics, astronomy, and optics. His work has had a lasting impact on many areas of mathematics and science. One of his most famous works is the Disquisitiones Arithmeticae, which laid the groundwork for modern number theory.
Sophie Germain
Sophie Germain was a French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher. Despite facing significant barriers due to her gender, she made substantial contributions to number theory and elasticity theory. Germain's work on Fermat's Last Theorem gained her recognition, and she corresponded with other prominent mathematicians, including Carl Friedrich Gauss. The Sophie Germain Prize is awarded annually by the French Academy of Sciences in her honour.
John Forbes Nash Jr.
John Forbes Nash Jr. was an American mathematician renowned for his work in game theory, differential geometry, and partial differential equations. His theories are widely used in economics, computing, evolutionary biology, artificial intelligence, accounting, politics, and military theory. He was the subject of the film A Beautiful Mind, which focused on his struggle with schizophrenia and his eventual recognition with a Nobel Prize.
G. H. Hardy and A Mathematician's Apology
G. H. Hardy was a British mathematician known for his achievements in number theory and mathematical analysis. His essay, A Mathematician's Apology, is one of the most well-known pieces of writing about the nature of mathematical pursuits. It provides a rare insight into the mind of a working mathematician and defends the aesthetic value of mathematics.
Contributions to Mathematics
Number Theory
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted to the study of the integers and integer-valued functions. Mathematicians like Carl Friedrich Gauss and Sophie Germain made significant contributions to this field. Gauss’s Disquisitiones Arithmeticae is a seminal work in number theory, while Germain's contributions to Fermat’s Last Theorem are also notable.
Calculus
Calculus is the mathematical study of continuous change and is divided into differential and integral calculus. Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz independently developed the foundations of calculus in the late 17th century. Their work has since become a fundamental tool in physics, engineering, and many other fields.
Game Theory
Game theory is the study of mathematical models of strategic interaction among rational decision-makers. John Nash made groundbreaking contributions to this field, including the concept of the Nash equilibrium, which has become a cornerstone in economic theory and many other disciplines.
Elasticity Theory
Elasticity theory deals with the mechanics of deformable bodies and is a fundamental aspect of engineering and materials science. Sophie Germain's work on elasticity theory, particularly in relation to vibrations and curvatures, laid the groundwork for modern structural engineering.