Throughout history, many people have dedicated themselves to that discipline that generates fear and hatred in a large portion of the population: mathematics. As in all disciplines, there have been individuals who, thanks to their effort, dedication, and talent, have stood out above others. Today, on March 14th, International Mathematics Day, we pay tribute to several of the most important mathematicians, leaving many behind as it would take an entire blog to discuss all of them.
Why is it International Mathematics Day?
On March 14th of each year, we celebrate Pi Day or International Mathematics Day because, in English, this date is read as three fourteen, referring to the first three digits of the number pi (π = 3.14159265…). Larry Shaw was the first to celebrate this day in 1988 when he wanted to honor pi. He wore a cap with the digits of pi and led a parade where each participant held a digit of the constant. Over time, Pi Day gained popularity until it was declared National Pi Day by the U.S. Council in 2009. Larry passed away in 2017, and two years after his death, in 2019, UNESCO declared March 14th as International Mathematics Day.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that March 14th, 1879, was the birthday of the famous German physicist Albert Einstein.
For this reason, we take this opportunity to talk about the most important mathematicians in history.
Euclid (323 BC - 285 BC)
The Greek mathematician Euclid is known by all as “the father of geometry”, and rightfully so, as he wrote the book “Elements”, which is often regarded as the most successful book in the history of Mathematics. It contains a wide range of theorems on geometry and theoretical arithmetic, complete with their corresponding proofs. Euclid is one of the oldest famous mathematicians, living between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC.
Today, the many theorems he laid out are still used, especially in the resolution of geometric problems.
The famous Euclidean geometry, Euclid’s algorithm, and Euclidean division are just a few of his many contributions.
Archimedes (287 BC - 212 BC)
Next, we have Archimedes of Syracuse, undoubtedly one of the most important mathematicians in history.
One of the most well-known anecdotes about this mathematician is when King Hiero II asked Archimedes to determine whether a gold crown he had been given was made of pure gold or mixed with pyrite. It was at that moment that he discovered how to measure the volume of an irregular object. While getting into his bathtub, he noticed the water rise as he entered, leading him to exclaim Eureka! He had figured out how to measure the volume of any object.
He also made significant contributions in approximating the value of pi, as well as numerous discoveries and inventions, including his work on the law of the lever, hydrostatics, statics, siege weapons, and the Archimedes screw.
Archimedes lived during the 3rd century BC in Syracuse, Sicily. He died due to homicide.
Hypatia (355 AD - 415 AD)
This great mathematician was a renowned teacher at the Neoplatonic School of Alexandria, as well as a distinguished philosopher and astronomer. In mathematics, Hypatia was known for her contributions to algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. She also invented several mathematical instruments, such as the astrolabe.
Her life ended tragically when she was murdered by a Christian mob in 415.
Leonhard Euler (1707 - 1783)
Euler was probably the most important mathematician of the 18th century, as he made several major contributions to the world of mathematics, including:
- The famous number e, which, like pi, is an irrational number, meaning it has infinitely non-repeating decimal places. With this number, he derived Euler’s identity, considered by many mathematicians to be the most beautiful formula.
- He was the first to refer to a function f acting on an argument x as f(x).
- He is credited with solving the first problem using Graph Theory: the Seven Bridges of Königsberg, which sparked the development of graph theory.
Euler made many more contributions, but to list them all, we’d need hours of writing about him.
Sophie Germain (1776 - 1831)
Sophie Germain was a pivotal mathematician in history, particularly as a pioneer in elasticity theory and making significant contributions to number theory.
One of her key works was her study of prime numbers, now known as Sophie Germain primes (primes for which 2 times the prime plus 1 is also a prime, such as 2, where 2(2) + 1 = 5). She also worked on Fermat’s Last Theorem.
Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777 – 1855)
Gauss was a child prodigy, despite coming from a family with little formal education. His greatest contribution to mathematics is the famous Gauss’ sum, which is as follows: given a sum of n numbers with the same difference between them, the result can be found by adding the first and last number and multiplying by n/2.
Gauss discovered this when a teacher punished his class by asking them to sum all the numbers from 1 to 100. Gauss solved it as:
(1 + 100) · 100 / 2 = 5050
He also made significant contributions to algebra, astronomy, and magnetism, and even hypothesized the existence of non-Euclidean geometries, though he never published on it.
Évariste Galois (1811 – 1832)
This French mathematician discovered at an early age, while still a teenager, the necessary and sufficient conditions for an algebraic equation to be solvable by radicals. In Argentina, Mathematician’s Day is celebrated on May 31 in honor of Évariste.
At the age of 20, Galois died after being shot in a duel with the French army’s fencing champion.
Ada Lovelace (1815 – 1852)
Without a doubt, this mathematician holds immense importance in the fact that you’re reading this article right now. She was the first person to recognize that machines had more applications than just calculation. She also designed the first algorithm to be processed by a computer, which is why she is considered the first computer programmer.
She designed the algorithm to calculate Bernoulli numbers for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine. She passed away from uterine cancer in 1852.
Emmy Noether (1882 – 1935)
This woman is considered by many to be the most important mathematician in history. She made major contributions to the theory of algebraic invariants and developed theorems (Noether’s theorems) that were crucial for Albert Einstein’s later development of the theory of relativity.
She also revolutionized ring theory, field theory, and K-algebras, earning her the title “Mother of Algebra.”
Clara Grima
Clara was born in Coria, holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Seville, and is a tenured professor of Applied Mathematics at the same university. Throughout her life, she has combined her educational work with research and popular science communication. She has written several highly regarded books for audiences of all types, such as:
- Mati and her Math Adventures
- Mathematics Watches Your Health
- May Math Be with You!
- In Search of the Lost Graph
- Mati and the Math Monsters
She has won numerous awards and continues her work: teaching, researching, and communicating. You can follow her on Twitter (@ClaraGrima) and Instagram (@claragrima).
Eduardo Sáenz de Cabezón
Eduardo is known for his popular Derivando YouTube channel, an excellent resource for math lovers where he explains mathematical concepts in a very engaging, clear, and illustrated manner.
He is also a presenter on Órbita Laika, a scientific program.
He has published several books, including Mathematical Apocalypse. You can follow him on his Derivando YouTube channel or on Twitter (@edusadeci) and Instagram (@eduardosdc).
