History

The Euler Archive

This is a great on-line resource hosted by the Math Department at Dartmouth University:  a comprehensive collection of the works of (and about) Leonhard Euler.

http://www.math.dartmouth.edu/~euler/

Euler, indisputably one of the greatest mathematicians in history, authored over 800 papers in his lifetime, touching on every area of mathematics then in existence.  In addition, Euler made significant contributions to physics, astronomy, and applied sciences as well.

The archive features historical and biographical information, related resources, and digital copies of over 800 original documents.

By patrick honner, ago

Biographies of Female Mathematicians

This is another nice resource provided by the School of Math and Statistics at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland:  a collection of biographies of female mathematicians.

http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Indexes/Women.html

There are around 150 mathematicians profiled here.  Each profile consists of a biography, a list of references, and links to other internet resources on the individual.

Among those profiled here are Maria Agnesi (of the Witch of Agnesi cubic curve), Emmy Noether (of Noetherian Ring fame), and Mary Ellen Rudin (topologist, and wife of Walter Rudin, a noted figure in Real Analysis).

A general collection of biographies is also available, as well as a fun-to-browse library of curves.

By patrick honner, ago

Obvious, but Difficult

This is a fun conversation on MathOverlflow.net about famous examples of theorems in mathematics that are “obvious” but very difficult to prove.

http://mathoverflow.net/questions/51531/theorems-that-are-obvious-but-hard-to-prove

For example, the Jordan Curve Theorem essentially states that any closed curve in the plane divides the plane into an “inside” and an “outside”.  Obvious, right?  But very difficult to prove.

The Isoperimetric Theorem is another good example.  This theorem basically says that the most efficient way to surround area in the plane is with a circle.  Again, easier to believe than to prove.

And one of the responders notes that, after taking several hundred pages in their Principia Mathematica to prove that 1 + 1 = 2, Russell and Whitehead note that the proposition “is occasionally useful”.

“Obvious” is one of the most dangerous words in mathematics!

By patrick honner, ago

Library of Curves

Witch of AgnesiThis is a nice resource:  a Famous Curves Index, provided by the School of Math and Statistics at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Curves/Curves.html

You can view graphs of the tractrix, Fermat’s Spiral, and Quadratrix of Hippias, and see their various algebraic representations.  Each entry in the Curve Index contains a brief history of the curve, some interesting facts, and links to other related curves.

This collection is similar to another fun resource provided by the same program:  a comprehensive on-line library of biographies of mathematicians.

Related Posts

 

By patrick honner, ago

Math and Art: Logicomix, a Mathematical Graphical Novel

This is an innovative and intriguing idea:  a graphic novel based on the infamous struggles to articulate the foundations of mathematics.

http://www.logicomix.com/

The story is apparently narrated by the great mathematician and philosopher Bertrand Russell, and the cast of characters includes Georg Cantor, Kurt Godel, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and many other prominent figures from mathematics and logic.  A review in the New York Times can be found here.

The philosophy of mathematics is extremely interesting (start by asking yourself “What is a number?”), and this particular tale is truly a fascinating one.   I am eager to see how these graphic artists tell the story.

By patrick honner, ago
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