Archimedes biography sphere

View twelve larger pictures. Biography Archimedes ' father was Phidias, an astronomer. We know nothing else about Phidias other than this one fact and we only know this since Archimedes gives us this information in one of his works, The Sandreckoner. A friend of Archimedes called Heracleides wrote a biography of him but sadly this work is lost.

How our knowledge of Archimedes would be transformed if this lost work were ever found, or even extracts found in the writing of others. Archimedes was a native of Syracuse, Sicily.

Archimedes biography sphere: Archimedes of Syracuse was an Ancient

It is reported by some authors that he visited Egypt and there invented a device now known as Archimedes' screw. This is a pump, still used in many parts of the world. It is highly likely that, when he was a young man, Archimedes studied with the successors of Euclid in Alexandria. Certainly he was completely familiar with the mathematics developed there, but what makes this conjecture much more certain, he knew personally the mathematicians working there and he sent his results to Alexandria with personal messages.

He regarded Conon of Samosone of the mathematicians at Alexandria, both very highly for his abilities as a mathematician and he also regarded him as a close friend. In the preface to On spirals Archimedes relates an amusing story regarding his friends in Alexandria. He tells us that he was in the habit of sending them statements of his latest theorems, but without giving proofs.

Apparently some of the mathematicians there had claimed the results as their own so Archimedes says that on the last occasion when he sent them theorems he included two which were false [ 3 ] Other than in the prefaces to his works, information about Archimedes comes to us from a number of sources such as in stories from PlutarchLivyand others.

There are, in fact, quite a number of references to Archimedes in the writings of the time for he had gained a reputation in his own time which few other mathematicians of this period achieved. The reason for this was not a widespread interest in new mathematical ideas but rather that Archimedes had invented many machines which were used as engines of war.

These were particularly effective in the defence of Syracuse when it was attacked by the Romans under the command of Marcellus. Plutarch writes in his work on Marcellus, the Roman commander, about how Archimedes' engines of war were used against the Romans in the siege of BC In the archimedes biography sphere huge poles thrust out from the walls over the ships and sunk some by great weights which they let down from on high upon them; others they lifted up into the air by an iron hand or beak like a crane's beak and, when they had drawn them up by the prow, and set them on end upon the poop, they plunged them to the bottom of the sea; or else the archimedes biographies sphere, drawn by engines within, and whirled about, were dashed against steep rocks that stood jutting out under the walls, with great destruction of the soldiers that were aboard them.

A ship was frequently lifted up to a great height in the air a dreadful thing to beholdand was rolled to and fro, and kept swinging, until the mariners were all thrown out, when at length it was dashed against the rocks, or let fall. Archimedes had been persuaded by his friend and relation King Hieron to build such machines:- These machines [ Archimedes ] had designed and contrived, not as matters of any importance, but as mere amusements in geometry; in compliance with King Hiero's desire and request, some little time before, that he should reduce to practice some part of his admirable speculation in science, and by accommodating the theoretic truth to sensation and ordinary use, bring it more within the appreciation of the people in general.

Perhaps it is sad that engines of war were appreciated by the people of this time in a way that theoretical mathematics was not, but one would have to remark that the world is not a very different place at the end of the second millenium AD. Other inventions of Archimedes such as the compound pulley also brought him great fame among his contemporaries.

Again we quote Plutarch:- [ Archimedes ] had stated [ in a letter to King Hieron ] that given the force, any given weight might be moved, and even boasted, we are told, relying on the strength of demonstration, that if there were another earth, by going into it he could remove this. Hiero being struck with amazement at this, and entreating him to make good this problem by actual experiment, and show some great weight moved by a small engine, he fixed accordingly upon a ship of burden out of the king's arsenal, which could not be drawn out of the dock without great labour and many men; and, loading her with many passengers and a full freight, sitting himself the while far off, with no great endeavour, but only holding the head of the pulley in his hand and drawing the cords by degrees, he drew the ship in a straight line, as smoothly and evenly as if she had been in the sea.

Yet Archimedes, although he achieved fame by his mechanical inventions, believed that pure mathematics was the only worthy pursuit. Again Plutarch describes beautifully Archimedes attitude, yet we shall see later that Archimedes did in fact use some very practical methods to discover results from pure geometry:- Archimedes possessed so high a spirit, so profound a soul, and such treasures of scientific knowledge, that though these inventions had now obtained him the renown of more than human sagacity, he yet would not deign to leave behind him any commentary or writing on such subjects; but, repudiating as sordid and ignoble the whole trade of engineering, and every sort of art that lends itself to mere use and profit, he placed his whole affection and ambition in those purer speculations where there can be no reference to the vulgar needs of life; studies, the superiority of which to all others is unquestioned, and in which the only doubt can be whether the beauty and grandeur of the subjects examined, of the precision and cogency of the methods and means of proof, most deserve our admiration.

His fascination with geometry is beautifully described by Plutarch:- Oftimes Archimedes' servants got him against his will to the baths, to wash and anoint him, and yet being there, he would ever be drawing out of the geometrical figures, even in the very embers of the chimney. And while they were anointing of him with oils and sweet savours, with his fingers he drew lines upon his naked body, so far was he taken from himself, and brought into ecstasy or trance, with the delight he had in the study of geometry.

The achievements of Archimedes are quite outstanding. He is considered by most historians of mathematics as one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. He perfected a method of integration which allowed him to find areas, volumes and archimedes biography sphere areas of many bodies. Chasles said that Archimedes' work on integration see [ 7 ] His works were later rediscovered by both Arabic and Renaissance scientists who first replicated his results and then built on them.

Archimedes was born in Syracuse, a Greek city-state in Sicily. He was educated at Alexandria, Egypt — famed for its knowledge and learning. He then returned to Syracuse where he became famed as both a mathematician, inventor, astronomer and philosopher. He continued to correspond with mathematicians back in Alexandria, and even during his lifetime, he gained a strong reputation for being a mathematical genius.

Archimedes was close to the ruler of Syracuse, King Hiero II who employed Archimedes in the defence of the city against the Roman invasion. Archimedes greatest love was theoretical mathematics. He wrote several treatises and corresponded with other mathematicians of the day.

Archimedes biography sphere: Archimedes was the greatest mathematician of

He had a brilliant mind and made many important developments in the subject. This includes a development of calculus using infinitesimals. Archimedes development of calculus remained un-improved until the 15th Century. Archimedes also developed the most accurate prediction of pie to date. Archimedes had an inquisitive nature and was willing to challenge conventional views.

For example, it was widely considered that the number of grains of sand on the earth was infinite — or at least impossible to calculate.

Archimedes biography sphere: Archimedes found that the volume

However, in The Sand ReckonerArchimedes proceeded to make a calculation using a new system of counting which made use of powered numbers based on the myriad 10, Archimedes calculated the number of grains of sands to fill the universe would be eight vigintillions or 8 x 10 He is said to have built a large ship on the order of ruler. The large ship was to be used for long travels, carry the supplies, and defend during the war.

Apart from that, he was a brilliant mathematician. He discovered ways to measure the area of a circle. With his vast abilities, he found a way to count the number of grains of sand that could fill this Earth. Download Now. Watch Now. Difference Between Concave And Convex. Motion In A Plane Class Rolling Motion.

Archimedes biography sphere: Indeed, a supreme scientist of the

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