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MATHEMATICS IN

RENAISSANCE

John Van Balazuela

During the Renaissance, a new


spirit of optimism, confidence
and creativity emerged. The
rise in commerce, navigation
and social activities during the
period mean that people with
good level of mathematical
knowledge were sought after as
tutor for individuals.

Mathematics Teaching in
Renaissance
Marked with many inventions, like
printing machine, that cater to the
needs of emerging industries.
Saw the added effect of the Act of
Uniformity in the establishment of the
Dissident Academies, many of whom
were more open to the mathematical
sciences that the traditional Grammar
Schools and Universities.

The effect of the industrial revolution


with the increase numbers of
immigrant workers from the rural
areas highlighted the lack of
education available because of the
rise in illiteracy and lack of numerate
skills there and the insufficient
services in the cities.

MATHEMATICIANS OF
THE RENAISSANCE
PERIOD

Johannes Muller or Regiomontanus


(1436 -1476)
Known by the names Johannes Molitoris
de Knigsperg, Molitoris (Latin form of
Mller), Johannes Germanus (Johann
the German), Johannes Francus
(Johannes from Franconia), Johann von
Knigsperg (Johannes from Knigsberg),
and the French sounding Joannes de
Monte Regio.

Known as a
mathematical and
astronomical prodigy
at a very early age
Made important
contributions to
trigonometry and
astronomy
Wrote De triangulis
omnimodis (1464), a
systematic account of
methods for solving
triangles.

Scipio Del Ferro (1465 -1526)


Credited for solving one of the
outstanding ancient problems of
mathematics: solving cubic equations
Made an important contribution to
rationalizing fractions, extending
methods to rationalize fractions
which had square roots in the
denominator (which were know to
Euclid) to fractions whose
denominators were the sum of three
cube roots

Also worked on
the examining
which
geometrical
problems could
be solved with a
compass set in a
fixed position

Niccolo Fontana (1499 -1557)


Known as Tartaglia
Discussed the
construction of
clocks and the orbit
of the projectiles in
his Nuova scienza
(but had not yet
found the parabolic
orbit which was
discovered by Galileo)

Cubic equations were first solved algebraically by


del Ferro and Tartaglia

Girolamo Cardano (1501 -1576)


Hit the formula involving square
roots of negative numbers
Published his greatest mathematical
work Ars Magna ( methods of
solution of the cubic and quadratic
equations
Presented the first calculation with
complex numbers

The circles used to generate hypocycloids are known as


Cardano circles

Lodovico Ferrari (1522 -1565)


Became public
lecturer in
geometry at the
age of twenty
Discovered the
solutions of the
quadratic in 1540

Basic mathematical notation, with


dates of first use

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