Notable Arab / Muslim Mathematicians
 Gave solutions to some of Euclid’s Problems
1. Muhammad Ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi
 strong advocacy of the Hindu numerical
system
 algebra “Al-Kitab al-mukhtasar fi hisab al-
jabr wa’l-muqabala” (“The Compendious
Book on Calculation by Completion and
Balancing”)
o solving polynomial equations up to the
second degree
o “reduction” (rewriting an expression in
a simpler form),
o “completion” (moving a negative
quantity from one side of the equation
to the other side and changing its sign)
and
o “balancing” (subtraction of the same
quantity from both sides of an
equation, and the cancellation of like
terms on opposite sides).
 Al-Khwarizmi’s completing the square
2. Thabit Ibn Qurra
3. Abu’l-Hasan al-Uqlidisi
 Kitab al-Fusul fi al-Hisab al-Hindi ( use of
arabic numerals )
 Kitab al-hajari fi al-hisab – Decimal
 Use of decimal fractions
4. Ibrahim ibn Sinan
 Letter on the Description of the Notions
o On drawing the three conic sections
o On the measurement of the parabola
o On the method of analysis and
synthesis
o The other procedures in geometrical
problems
o The selected problems
o On the motions of the sun
o On the astrolabe
 Shadow Instruments (Sundials)
5. Abu Ali al-Hasan ibn al-Haytham
 Wilson’s Theorem and Opusculla
o 2 methods of solution
 Alhazen’s Problem
 Optics
o Theory of light
o Theory of Vision
o Astronomy
o Mathematics
o Geometry and number
6. Kamal al-Din Abu’l Hasan Muhammad Al-Farisi
 Light
 Concepts in Number Theory
 Tanqih (which means revision) was far more
than a commentary on ibn al-Haytham's
optical writings
 theory of the rainbow
7. Ibn al-Banna al-Marrakushi
 Summary of arithmetical operations
 Binomial coeffecient
 Continued fractions
 Talkhis amal al-hisab (Summary of
arithmetical operations)
 Raf al-Hijab which is al-Banna's own
commentary on the Talkhis amal al-hisab
Notable Mathematicians from 16th to 21st Century
8. Girolamo Cardano
 Hieronymus Cardanus – Latin
 Jerome Cardan - English
 Contribution in Probability
o Dice rolling
 Contribution in Algebra
o The systematic use of negative numbers
and he also acknowledge the existence
of imaginary numbers.
 Book
o The practice of Arithmetic and Simple
Mensuration (measuring of 2D and 3D
surfaces)
9. John Napier
 Location Arithmetic
 Napier’s Bone
 Logarithm
 invention of logarithms
o appears in Mirifici logarithmorum
canonis descriptio in 1614
 mnemonic for formulae used in solving
spherical triangles
 two formulae
o "Napier's analogies" used in solving
spherical triangles
o "Napier's bones" used for mechanically
multiplying dividing and taking square
roots and cube roots
  exponential expressions for trigonometric
functions
 introduced the decimal notation for
fractions
10. Marin Mersenne
 Cycloid as a locus of a point La vérité des
sciences
 Mersenne primes in the form of 1-2^n for
some integer or prime number n
o Unsuccessful
o Not all applicable in prime numbers
o Can be used to identify large prime
numbers
11. Girard Desargues
 Projective Geometry
 Desargues Theorem or Perspective
Theorem
 Crater Desargues on the moon
 Desargues Graph
 S.G.D.L. - Sieur Girard Desargues Lyonnais
 perspective in Exemple de l'une des
manières universelles du S.G.D.L. touchant
la pratique de la perspective sans emploier
aucun tiers point, de distance ny d'autre
nature, qui soit hors du champ de l'ouvrage
(1636)
o Example of one of S.G.D.L.'s general
methods concerning drawing in
perspective without using any third
point, a distance point or any other
kind, which lies outside the picture
field.
 the cutting of stones for use in building in
Brouillon project d'exemple d'une manière
universelle du S.G.D.L. touchant la pratique
du trait a preuves pour la coupe des pierres
en l'architecture (1640)
 sundials in Manière universelle de poser le
style aux rayons du soleil en quelconque
endroit possible, avec la règle, le compas,
l'esquerre et le plomb (1640)
 'perspective theorem' - that when two
triangles are in perspective the meets of
corresponding sides are collinear
12. René Descartes
 La Géométrie
o application of algebra to geometry
(Cartesian geometry)
 Analytical geometry
 Rules for deductive reasoning
 Rule of signs
 System for using letters as mathematical
variables
 Discourse on the Method
 treatise on physics, Le Monde, ou Traité de
la Lumière
 treatise on science under the title Discours
de la méthode pour bien conduire sa raison
et chercher la vérité dans les sciences.
o La Dioptrique,
o Les Météores, and
o La Géométrie
 La Dioptrique (Optics)
 Les Météores (meteorology)
13. Bonaventura Cavalieri
 Infinitisimal Calculus
 Introduction to Logarithms
 The burning glass
 A treaties of conic sections
 Cavalieri principle
 6 geometric exercises (answer to his
critique Paul)
 Geometria indivisibilibus continuorum nova
quadam ratione promota
o method of indivisibles which became a
factor in the development of the
integral calculus
 Directorium Generale Uranometricum
o logarithms as a computational tool
o The tables of logarithms which he
published included logarithms of
trigonometric functions for use by
astronomers
 A hundred varied problems to illustrate the
use of logarithms (1639)
14. Pierre de Fermat
 Analytic Geometry
 Probability theory/theorem
 Solved basics calculus problems (local
minimum and maximum area)
 Fermat’s Little Theorem
 number theory
o Fermat's Last Theorem: 𝑥^𝑛 + 𝑦^𝑛 =
𝑧^𝑛
15. John Wallis
 Arithmetica infinitorum
 Tract on Conic Sections
  Treatise on Algebra o Theories of Events
 Restoring some Ancient Greek Texts  De Moivre’s Formula
o Ptolemy's Harmonics, o Connects the complex numbers to
o Aristarchus's On the magnitudes and trigonometry
distances of the sun and moon, and  Book on Probability Theory
o Archimedes' Sand-reckoner o The Book of Chances
16. Blaise Pascal  Theorem of de Moivre-Laplace
 pascal's triangle (binomial theorem &  Binets Formula
expansion)  First to Postulate Central Limit Theorem
 probability theory (expected value) 21. Leonhard Euler
 conic section  Popularized imaginary number
 geometry (Pascal line)  Euler Identity
 roulette machine  Introduction to the analysis of infinite
 early digital calculator  Exponential functions
17. Isaac Newton  Trigonometric functions and their
 Optics hyperbolic counterparts
o Investigations of the colors of thin  Euler Product Formula
sheets  Book: Mechanica (1736-37)
o Newton's rings and o Newtonian dynamics in the form of
o Diffractions of light mathematical analysis
 The mathematical principles of natural 22. Joseph - Louis Lagrange
philosophy  Analytical Mechanics
o Law of Universal gravitation  Calculus of Variations
o Infinitesimal Calculus  Celestial Mechanics
18. Gottfried Leibniz  Mathematical Analysis
 Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz  Number Theory
 Modern Binary System  Theory of Equations
 Calculus (Newton & Leibniz)  Method of solving differential equations
 basic features of his version of the calculus (variation of parameter)
 rule for differentiation  Founder of Group Theory
 development of the binary system of
arithmetic
 determinants
19. Jacob Bernoulli
 law of large numbers in probability theory
 parallels of logic and algebra
 work on probability and
 work on geometry (result gave a
construction to divide any triangle into four
equal parts with two perpendicular lines)
 work on infinite series (5 treaties)
 Acta Eruditorum
o the Bernoulli equation
o 𝑦 ′ = 𝑝(𝑥)𝑦 + 𝑞(𝑥)𝑦 ^n
 Ars Conjectandi
20. Abraham de Moivre
 Analytic Theory
 Probability Theory
23. Joseph Fourier
  Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier
 Fourier equations
 Fourier transforms
 The theory of heat conduction
 Unfinished work on determinate equations
 Fourier Series - any periodic function can be
written as an infinite sum of trigonometric
functions
24. Carl Friedrich Gauss
 Construction of heptadecagon
 Integers as triangular numbers
 Complex number a+ib
 Properties of pentagramma mirificum
(explained)
 Gaussian Function
 Gaussian Error Curve
 Contribution to number theory
 Gauss’ theorem “Divergence Theorem”
 Gauss Approximation Method
 Book
o Fundamental theorem of algebra:
Disquisitiones Arithmeticae (1801)
o On the celestial bodies: The motion of
the heavenly bocies surrounding the
sun and conic sections
 Prime Number Theorem
 Non-Euclidean Geometry
 Sums of Triangle Numbers
25. Augustin Cauchy
 Cauchy Integral Theorem
 Cauchy-Kovalevskaya Existence Theorem
 Cauchy-Riemann Equations
 Cauchy Sequences
 formalised calculus and analysis
 founded the field of complex analysis,
studied permutation groups, and worked on
optics, fluid dynamics and elasticity theory.
26. Charles Babbage
 difference engine
o mechanical calculator that was
designed to calculate polynomial
functions.
 analytical engine
o can solve any set of calculation with the
help of processor, punch cards, and
bunch of codes.
 father of the computer
o invented the first mechanical
computer (the Difference
engine),
o and an improved,
programmable version (the
Analytical Engine)
27. Nikolai Lobachevsky
 one of the founders of non-Euclidean
geometry
 He managed to show that you can build
up a consistent type of geometry in
which Euclid’s fifth axiom (about
parallel lines) does not hold.
28. Evariste Galois
 Group Theory
 Galois Field (Finite Field)
 General Linear group over a prime field,
GL (N,P)
 invented two entirely new fields of
mathematics: Group theory and Galois
theory.
29. George Boole
 Boolean algebra, which uses operators
like AND, OR and NOT (rather than
addition or multiplication) - can be used
when working with sets
30. Karl Weierstrass
 published Zur Theorie der Abelschen
Functionen in Crelle’s Journal
 published a full version of his theory of
inversion of hyperelliptic integrals in his
next paper Theorie der Abelschen
Functionen in Crelle's Journal.
 In his 1863-64 course on The general
theory of analytic functions Weierstrass
began to formulate his theory of the
real numbers. In his 1863 lectures he
proved that the complex numbers are
the only commutative algebraic
extension of the real numbers.
 discover a function that, although
continuous, had no derivative at any
point.
31. Bernhard Riemann
 Differential geometry
 Analysis and number theory (Prime
counting function)
 Contributed to real analysis (Riemann
Integral)
  Pioneered the Mathematics of General
Relativity
 Riemann Mapping Theorem
32. Richard Dedekind
 Dedekind cut
 Analysis of the nature of number
 Definition of finite and infinite set
 introduction of ideals
 Mathematical induction
 Number theory
 theory in the ring of integers of an
algebraic number field.
 1863 - Vorlesungen über Zahlentheorie
(Lectures on Number Theory)
 1879 and 1894: 3rd and 4th edition
 1879 - Über die Theorie der ganzen
algebraischen Zahlen (On the Theory of
Algebraic Whole Numbers)
33. John Venn
 Boole’s Mathematical Logic
 The Principles of Empirical or Inductive
Logic
 Venn Diagram
34. Georg Cantor
35. Felix Klein
36. Henri Poincare
37. David Hilbert
38. Bertrand Russell
39. Srinivasa Ramanujan
40. Alan Turing
41. Ada Lovelace
42. Andrew Wiles
43. George Dantzig
44. Jean Victor Poncelet
45. Ronald Fisher
46. John Nash