Show Off Your Skills With This Mathematicians Quiz

Carl Friedrich Gauss is widely considered to be one of the greatest mathematicians in history. That reputation is due, in part, to his 1801 work "Disquisitiones Arithmeticae," which was the first textbook on algebraic number theory. Its most important section is its demonstration of the proof of the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic, stating that every composite number can be expressed as a product of prime numbers.

The irrational constant known as "e" was accidentally discovered by John Napier in 1614, but it would take more than 100 years for Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler to provide some clarity. In 1731, Euler gave the constant the name “e” after proving it was irrational. The constant is used to calculate compounding interest, the half-life of radioactive chemicals, and natural logarithms.

In his ancient treatise "On the Sphere and Cylinder," Archimedes detailed how to find the surface area and volume of a sphere, and the analogous values for a cylinder containing the sphere. His equations involving pi, exponentiation, and radii were revolutionary to the geometry of the time. The work was written around 225 BCE and helped place Archimedes among the most legendary mathematicians of his, or any, era.

The Fibonacci sequence was first described in a series of ancient Sanskrit texts that used the Hindu Arabic numeral system from the early days of mathematics. However, it was a man named Leonardo of Pisa, aka Fibonacci, who popularized the formula in his 1202 CE tome "Liber Abaci." The sequence was originally used to calculate a problem involving rabbits mating but has since become one of math's most famous formulas.

Today, historians generally recognize that Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz independently co-invented calculus. However, back in the day, it was quite a scandal. Newton, whose invention of the discipline dates to the end of 1664, declared that Leibniz was a copycat. Leibniz, whose invention dates to 1673, believed that he invented calculus and that his priority should be recognized by history.

Living from 355 to 415 CE, Hypatia is the earliest known female mathematician with any serious body of work. Her commentaries on the ancient treatises “Conics" and "Arithmetic," as well as an astronomical table, advanced the knowledge of the age. Hypatia was a popular teacher and lecturer on mathematical, astronomical, and philosophical topics throughout her hometown of Alexandria.

René Descartes’ advances in mathematics during the 17th century included the development of algebraic geometry and the creation of the Cartesian Coordinate system of plotting. In addition to his highly successful math career, Descartes was also an accomplished philosopher, and is known for his argument, "cogito, ergo sum," which means, "I think, therefore I am."

In 1843, Ada Lovelace published an article full of notes about the analytical engine, which is often recognized as the earliest computer. Her notes included a description of a sequence of operations to solve certain mathematical problems using the engine. Today, these notes are considered to be the world's first computer program, making Lovelace the world's first computer programmer.

Alan Turing is one of the most important British mathematicians in history. His work on algorithms helped push forward the early development of computers, and he led the team that deciphered Nazi Germany's Enigma code, which shortened World War II and saved countless lives. To honor his contributions, the United Kingdom added his picture to the 50-pound note in 2021.

The Pythagorean theorem states that the sum of the square of the legs of a right triangle, "a" and "b," are equal to the sum of the square of the hypotenuse, "c." Though this equation was famously taught by and named for the mathematician Pythagoras, knowledge of the theorem dates back to more than a thousand years earlier — four Babylonian tablets from around 1700 BCE demonstrate some knowledge of the equation.