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Running Head: The life and contributions of Rene Descartes and The application of
the algebraic equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole.

The life and contributions of Rene Descartes and The application of the algebraic
equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole
Mao P. Dela Cruz
Christian Jane Dela Cruz
BSN 1-1
De LaSalle Health Sciences Institute
October 22, 2015

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Running Head: The life and contributions of Rene Descartes and The application of
the algebraic equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole.

This paper will be presenting the life of one of the recognized great mathemathecian.
Ren Descartes was a French mathematician, writer, scientist, and philosopher. He spent most of
his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He was born on March 31, 1596, in La Have en Touraine,
Kingdom of France. He died on February 11, 1650, in Stockholm, Sweddish Empire, at the age
of fifty-three. Descartes mother was Jeanne Brochard, who died after trying to give birth to
another child that also died when Descartes was only one year old. Descartes father, Joachim
was a Parlement of Brittany member at Rennes. Ren lived and grew up with his grandmother
and great uncle.

The Descartes family was Roman Catholic, yet the Poitou region was

controlled by the Protestant Huguenots.


Descartes was a kid who had fragile health, because of this he entered a school named
Jesuit Collge Royal Henry-Le-Grand at La Flche. The school that was mentioned introduced
Descartes to mathematics and physics, and even Galileos work. When Ren graduated in 1614,
he continued to study two years more at the University of Poitiers. Descartes earned a
Baccalaurat and Licence in law. Descartes did this in accordance of Joachims (Rens father)
wishes that he should become a lawyer.
And after that, Ren was enlisted in the Dutch military. It was a tradition in the Descartes
family to be in the military service. When the Thirty Years War began, Ren was encouraged to
volunteer under the Count de Bucquoy in the Bavarian army. Descartes spent his leisure time
studying mathematics, having been influenced by Beeckman, a Dutch mathematician and
scientist.

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Running Head: The life and contributions of Rene Descartes and The application of
the algebraic equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole.

Descartes new philosophical ideas and analytical geometry started from the three dreams
he had while campaigning on the Danube. Ren considered the date November 19, 1919, as the
date of his dreams. And this was the landmark moment in Descartes life. Around 1619,
Descartes started the Rules for the Direction of Mind, Rens first major philosophical treatise,
which is remain unfinished. This work discussed the proper method for engaging with rational
theology and science.
Ren traveled through Europe during 1620 to 1628, moving from Bohemia, Hungary,
Germany, France, and Holland. Descartes met Mersenne in Paris. Mersenne is someone whom
made connection the kept Ren in contact with his own contemporaries in science. Descartes
spent his time in Venice and returned to France in 1625. Descartes met the Cardinal de Berulle in
1628. Cardinal de Berulle was the founder of the Oratorians. The cardinal was impressed during
a coversation with Descartes. The cardinal later on encouraged Descartes to devote his own life
to the study of truth. Ren moved to Holland in 1629 for 20 years. There were times that
Descartes visits France and changed his address frequently to maintain privacy.
Descartes wrote Le Monde during his first four years. Le Monde is a thesis on physics
defending a heliocentric view of the universe. In the year 1633, the Galileos Dialogue was
condemned by the Catholic Church, Rens book was ready yet he delayed its publication out of
concern that it might be censured. In 1644, the incomplete manuscipt of Le Monde was publised.
Descartes also published his collection of essays about Optics, Meteorology, and Geometry in
1637. The preface of the collection is titled Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the
Reason and Seeking Truth in the Sciences, this was written for most part before 1633.
Descartes explained that he would publish despite the risks because he needed the readers to
confirm Rens scientific theories as the conclusion to the preface. In Rens, he insisted using

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Running Head: The life and contributions of Rene Descartes and The application of
the algebraic equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole.

the deductive reasoning, this countered Francis Bacons introduction as imported in 1620s
Novum Organum. All of the work from these years were the basis of some of Rens contribution
to physics and especially in mathematics which includes analytic geometry.
During 1640, Ren outspread on the themes of his collection of essays in his first
philosophy entitled In Which the Existence of God and the Distinction Between Mind and
Body are Demonstrated. According to Anderson, there are six meditations on the book of Ren
Descartes. These are the titles of the six meditations: Of the Things that we may doubt; Of the
Nature of the Human Mind; Of God: that He exists; Of Truth and Error; Of the Essence of
Material Things; Of the Existence of Material Things; and Of the Real Distinction between the
Mind and the Body of Man (J. Anderson, 1999). Ren altercates that the mind and body are
different elements. Descartes explained that humans are soul, and that humans important aspects
are of the spirit. The human spirit immerse a mechanical body consists of extended substance.
Descartes Meditations was released and published in Latin during 1641 then translated to French
in 1642.
During 1644, Descartes Principia Philosophiae was released in Amsterdam. The four
sections of this book are entitled: The Principles of Human Knowledge, The Principles of
Material Things, Of the Visible World, and The Earth. These are study of the mathematical
foundation of the universe which is focused on the study of mechanics. The book focuses on
physical science, particularly the theory of vortices and laws of motion. The French court
admitted Descartes benefits in return and honor of Rens work.
Ren moved to Stockholm in 1649 to teach Queen Christina in philosophy. The Queen
aimed to start her studies at five in the morning, yet Descartes was not prepared to work at the

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Running Head: The life and contributions of Rene Descartes and The application of
the algebraic equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole.

early hour. The work, including the harsh climate lead Descartes to become ill. In 1650,
Descartes died due to pneumonia.
Reasonably, Descartes known philosophical ideas are the methods of hyperbolic doubt.
Hyperbolic doubts method is the abnegation of accepting either the authority of philosophers or
information accumulated from ones own senses. Ren decided to develop a foundation of
philosophy wherein anything might be doubted must be declined. Only what is definite is
satisfactory and may lead to truth.
Ren always declined the Scholastic and Aristotelian traditions that had been the
authoritative basis of philosophy during the Medieval times. Religious influence is not
considered in Descartess philosophical and scientific studies. The Catholic Church convicted
Descartes work and prohibited it in 1663. Even Descartes was a Catholic, and affected by the
Reformations challenge of Church authority, Ren uses a jargons taught and influenced by
scholastic thought.
Descartes is a revolutionary figure, specifically for Rens effort to change the
relationship of theology, philosophy, and also integrate philosophy which includes new forms of
science. Descartes is appreciated for his effort to create a form of philosophical argument related
to science or mathematics. Ren Descartes has been effective to influence the philosopher in the
seventeenth centuries. This includes the philosophers who were influenced by Descartes:
Malbrache, Locke, Spinoza, and Leibniz.
He was famous for developing the Cartesian Coordinate System. He is known as the
inventor of modern day philosophy and his Meditations of First Philosophy is still considered

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Running Head: The life and contributions of Rene Descartes and The application of
the algebraic equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole.

and used for many philosophy departments. I think; therefore I am., a very memorable quote
from Descartes for his philosophical declaration which is well known.
One of the well known contribution of Descartes in algebra is the Cartesian Coordinate
System. This is also called the Rectangular Coordinate Plane. As it was mentioned, Descartes
used to be a kid who had fragile health. Rens teachers would often let the little Descartes to
rest. One day, Ren noticed a fly crawling in the ceiling. The little Descartes observed it for a
long time. Ren wanted to anticipate where the fly will go next. Until then the little Descartes
realized that he could pin point the position of the fly by its distance from the walls of the room.
Descartes then jotted down what he discovered and tried describing the positions of points.
According to S. Levy, In cartesian coordinates (or rectangular coordinates), a point P is referred
to by three real numbers, indicating the positions of the perpendicular projections from the point
to three fixed, perpendicular, graduated lines, called the axes. If the coordinates are denoted x, y,
z, in that order, the axes are called the x-axis, etc., and we write P=(x,y,z). Often the x-axis is
imagined to be horizontal and pointing roughly toward the viewer (out of the page), the y-axis
also horizontal and pointing more or less to the right, and the z-axis vertical, pointing up. The
system is called right-handed if it can be rotated so the three axes are in this position.. The point
x=0, y=0, z=0 is the origin, where the three axes intersect. (S. Levy, October 4, 1995). The
author would like to explain this further. The Cartesian Coordinate System is a two dimensional
plane. The plane consists of a horizontal axis and vertical axis. The axis mentioned are used for
graphing and both axis extends to infinity. The origin is the point wherein the two axis intersects.
The plane consists of four quadrants labeled as I, II, III, IV. Quadrant I consists of two positive x
and y coordinates. Quadrant II contains a negative x and a positive y coordinates. The Quadrant
III contains both negative x and y coordinates. And the fourth quadrant consists of a negative x

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Running Head: The life and contributions of Rene Descartes and The application of
the algebraic equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole.

and a positive y coordinates. The Cartesian Coordinate System is very essential in the daily life
of humans and it had contributed a lot for the innovation in the modern era.

The application of the algebraic equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole.
Business is exceptionally significant to a nations economy since industries offer merchandises,
amenities and employments. According to Jimmy Chang (2013) business contributes to
progress a nations global demand by cultivating GDP of a country. A state with very industrious
businesses frequently has attractive global accounts as it has a high GDP. One of the popular
use of Algebraic equations is that it can be proceeded to compute for the maximum and
minimum amount of revenue, cost, breakeven point and profits. Writing and solving several
forms of calculations is one of the main intentions of algebra. Countless of the maximum broadly
beneficial applications concerning the calculations includes the relocation of money.
Complications are often of the form You have x quantity of money, how much of y product can
you bargain with it? For instance, visualize a situation in which youre assisting to organize for
a wedding celebration, and directed to the store with 5000php to purchase as many bottle of wine
as possible, as well as a package of giveaway. Each bottle of wine costs 250php, and a package

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Running Head: The life and contributions of Rene Descartes and The application of
the algebraic equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole.

of giveaway costs 400php. To rapidly determine how many bottle of wine buy, you can write and
solve an algebraic equation: 250x+400=5000. Further instances of a real-life applications of
algebraic equations comprise of figuring out how many bottles you may possibly purchase if
they are valued at two for 350 or are presently offered as a portion of a buy-one-get-one-free
special. Understanding and answering problems concerning ratios, proportions and percent
includes additional objective of algebra. Situations can be simply stay produced around the idea
of stock auctions. Forms of problems includes determining the percent off, percent saved, new
cost or original cost. For example, assuming a shirt is estimated at 600php and a symbol states
the price is 30 percent off. The consumers will want to know how much the shirt cost formerly to
see whether the reserves would be important. The actual world and the algebra shares conditions
concerning rate of increase or decrease. Main algebra purpose related in situations includes the
calculation of angle and straight variation. Visualize a festival that charges 50php per ride in
addition to a 350 per person as for the entrance fee. Exactly how various number of rides can a
person take if an individual have 1200php? The problem can be responded by producing a rate of
equation, 50x+350=1200, then calculate for the equation of x. additional application of algebraic
equations can be is to simplify the amount of rides that possibly will be occupied for any
quantity of cash as y=50x+350; the mathematical structure could be furtherly promoted and
investigated for its numerical components such as slope and y-intercept and presented
graphically. Various additional applications of algebra equation, Exponential development and
deterioration purposes attach to a extensive selection of subjects such as interest rates, population
studies and bacteriology and medicine. Algebra can be linked to amounts that might be used by
cooks, baking loaves of bread or dieters calculating calories. Travelers practice equations to
convert between degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit in weather forecasts. On financing subject

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Running Head: The life and contributions of Rene Descartes and The application of
the algebraic equations related on the concern of the nation as a whole.

algebra can be used to calculate monthly expenses or loan taxes. Algebraic equations can also be
used in geometry which will be used to fine the perimeter, area, and volume of a structure.
Including the length width depending of what the shape happens to be.

References
Anderson,J. (1999) Summary of Descartes Meditations on First
Philosophy.http://home.sandiego.edu/~janderso/10/descart.html
Levy, S. (October 4, 1995) Cartesian Coordinates in
Space.http://www.geom.uiuc.edu/docs/reference/CRC-formulas/node39.html
Jimmy C (2013) Basic Algebraic Equations retrieved on October 19 2015
http://www.utexas.edu/coa/db/content/basic-algebraicequations

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