-
150
360 degree circle
150 B.C.E.
Hypsicles of Alexandria named the 360 equal parts as "degrees" when he divided the Zodiac into 360 degrees. -
518
Pythagorean arithmetic and geometry
518 B.C.E.
Pythagoras was the leader of a Society (Brotherhood) and he taught the followers all the knowledge and discoveries he made and they were forced to maintain secrecy. They are considered to be pure mathematicians. -
Dec 5, 1489
The use of + and -
WiIdman is best known for an arithmetic book he wrote in 1489 which contains the first recorded apperance of + and - signs. -
Dec 4, 1492
The use of a decimal point
Francesco Pellos wrote a commercial arithmetic book in which he made use of a dot to denote the division of an integer by a power of ten and this lead to the development of the decimal point. -
Dec 6, 1572
Bombelli's Algebra
The need for this arose from the use of the Cardan-Tartaglia formula for the solution of a cubic equation. For example, the equation x^3 = 15x + 4, an obvious positive solution, x = 4. However, when the Cardan-Tartaglia formula is applied you get expressions involving the square root of - 121 He solved this by introducing the aritmetic of complex numbers. -
Ceva's Theorem
During this time most mathematicians were concerned with analytic geometry and calculus but the Italians were still focusing on Euclidean geometry. The most notable contribution during this time was Ceva's Theorem which states: A necessary and sufficient condition that lines from the verttces A, B, C of a triangle to points D, E, F on the opposite sides. (BD/DC)(CE/EA)(AF/FB)=1. It has greatly simplified some of the proofs of major theorems in Euclidean geometry. -
Newton's Principia
It is considered to be one of the most important single works in the history of modern science. it contains Newton's version of calculus. He was reluctant to publish and as a result a controversy arose as to who should get the credit. Principia contains more than just Newton's calculus. -
Use of the pi symbol
In 1706 William Jones published his "New Introduction to Mathematics" in which he introduced the symbol pi. It appears he used the symbol repeatedly to denote the (periphery) circumference of a circle with unit diameter -- which is pi. -
Metric System introduced
In revolutionary France the system was not particularly well accepted, and the old units, now illegal, remained in widespread use. Napoleon uninstated the metric system on February 12, 1812. It was reinstated in 1820 by King William I. He was desperate to bring at least some form of unity to his rather disunited kingdom. His attempts were vain in that Belgium claimed its independence, but the metric system survived. In 2005, 3 countries, US, Liberia, and Myanmar, had not completed the change. -
Wiles proves Fermat's Last Theorem
The proof of fermat's Last Theorem was first announced in 1993 by Andrew Wiles. He gave a series of three lectures at the Isaac Newton Institute in Cmbridge, culminating with the announcement that he had proved Fermat's Last Theorem as a corollary to his main results. However, his proof was not entirely correct and it was another year before he had corrected his proof.