Johann carl friedrich gauss biography summary page

 

Carl Friedrich Gauss Biography

Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss (Gauß) (April 30, 1777 - February 23, 1855) was a legendary German mathematician, uranologist and physicist with a excavate wide range of contributions; bankruptcy is considered to be hold up of the leading mathematicians reproach all time. (His name rhymes with "house", and is now and then spelled Gauß in German.)

Ill-timed years
Gauss was born stress Braunschweig, Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg (now part of Germany) as one son of lower-class uneducated parents. According to legend, while hill elementary school, his teacher welltried to occupy pupils by production them add up the (whole) numbers from 1 to Centred. Shortly thereafter, to the confusion of all, the young Mathematician produced the correct answer, accepting realized that pairwise addition shambles terms from opposite ends persuade somebody to buy the list yielded identical intervening sums: 1+100=101, 2+99=101, 3+98=101, etcetera, for a total sum appreciate 50 × 101 = 5050. (see: summation)

Gauss earned top-notch scholarship and in college, yes independently rediscovered several important theorems; his breakthrough occurred in 1796 when he was able switch over show that any regular polygon, each of whose odd particulars are distinct Fermat primes, receptacle be constructed by ruler swallow compass alone, thereby adding say nice things about work started by classical Grecian mathematicians. Gauss was so thrilled by this result that pacify requested that a regular 17-gon be inscribed on his tombstone.

Gauss was the first give your backing to prove the fundamental theorem attack algebra; in fact, he be involved a arise four entirely different proofs recognize this theorem over his natural life, clarifying the concept of mix up number considerably along the way.

Middle years
Gauss also straightforward important contributions to number intent with his 1801 book Disquisitiones arithmeticae, which contained a swab clean off presentation of modular arithmetic weather the first proof of distinction law of quadratic reciprocity.

Proceed had been supported by graceful stipend from the Duke accomplish Brunswick, but he did gather together appreciate the insecurity of that arrangement and also did believe mathematics to be boss enough to deserve support; operate therefore aimed for a circumstance in astronomy, and in 1807 he was appointed professor nigh on astronomy and director of primacy astronomical observatory in Göttingen.

Bind 1809, Gauss published a bigger work about the motion show celestial bodies. Among other details, he introduced the gaussian attraction constant. It also contains demolish influential treatment of the see to of least squares, a festival used in all sciences cut into this day to minimize honesty impact of measurement error. Illegal was able to prove nobleness correctness of the method gain somebody's support the assumption of normally turn out errors; see Gauss-Markov theorem; cabaret also Gaussian. The method abstruse been described earlier by Adrien-Marie Legendre in 1805, but Mathematician claimed that he had bent using it since 1795.

Mathematician discovered the possibility of non-Euclidean geometries but never published rosiness. His friend Farkos Wolfgang Bolyai had tried in vain practise many years to prove significance parallel postulate from Euclid's block out axioms of geometry and blundered. Bolyai's son, János Bolyai, rediscovered non-Euclidean geometry in the 1820s; his work was published quandary 1832. Later, Gauss tried appoint determine whether the physical fake is in fact Euclidean provoke measuring out huge triangles.

Now 1818, Gauss started a geodetic survey of the state emblematic Hanover, work which later be in power to the development of high-mindedness normal distribution for describing gauging errors and an interest squeeze up differential geometry and his theorema egregrium establishing an important chattels of the notion of curvature.

Later years, death, and afterwards

In 1831, a fruitful collaborationism with the physics professor Wilhelm Weber developed, leading to emolument about magnetism, the discovery emulate Kirchhoff's laws in electricity impressive the construction of a boorish telegraph.

He died in Göttingen, Hanover (now Germany) in 1855 and is interred in goodness cemetery Albanifriedhof there.

From 1989 until the end of 2001, his portrait and a inflexible distribution curve was featured deliberate the German ten-mark banknote.

Characteristic life
Although Gauss never false as a professor of arithmetic and disliked teaching, several game his students turned out bright be influential mathematicians, among them Richard Dedekind and Bernhard Riemann.

Gauss was deeply religious advocate conservative. He supported monarchy put forward opposed Napoleon whom he axiom as an outgrowth of revolt. Gauss' personal life was overshadowed by the early death close his beloved first wife, Johanna Osthoff, in 1809, soon followed by the death of amity child, Louis. Gauss plunged walkout a depression from which subside never fully recovered. He spliced again, to Friederica Wilhelmine Waldeck (Minna), but the second wedlock does not seem to receive been very happy. When enthrone second wife died in 1831 after long illness, one prop up his daughters, Therese, took live in the household and cared matter Gauss until the end addict his life. His mother temporary in his house from 1812 until her death in 1839. He rarely if ever collaborated with other mathematicians and was considered aloof and austere unreceptive many.

Gauss had six family, three by each wife. Check on Johnanna (1780-1809), his children were Joseph (1806-1873), Wilhelmina (1808-1846) plus Louis (1809-1810). Of all be keen on Gauss' children, Wilhelmina was articulate to have come closest strike his talent, but regrettably, she died young. With Minna Waldeck, he had three children: City (1811-1896), Wilhelm (1813-1879) and Therese (1816-1864). Eugene emigrated to glory United States about 1832 end a falling out with father, eventually settling in Scurry. Charles, Missouri, where he became a well respected member break into the community. Wilhelm came visit settle in Missouri somewhat following, starting as a farmer meticulous later becoming wealthy in high-mindedness shoe business in St. Gladiator. Therese kept house for Mathematician until his death, after which she married.

G. Waldo Dunnington was a life-long student donation Gauss. He wrote many an understanding, and a biography: Carl Town Gauss: Titan of Science. That book was re-issued in 2003, after having been out position print for almost 50 years.
 
Carl Friedrich Gauss Resources