The great mathematician Gauss: biography, photos, discoveries

Mathematician Gauss was a closed person. Eric Temple Bell, who studied his biography, believes that if Gauss published all of his research and discoveries in full and on time, then maybe half a dozen more mathematicians would be famous. And so they had to spend the lion's share of time to find out how the scientist got those or other data. After all, he rarely published methods, he was always interested only in the result. An outstanding mathematician, a strange person and an inimitable person is all Karl Friedrich Gauss.

early years

The future mathematician Gauss was born on 30.04.1777. This, of course, is a strange phenomenon, but outstanding people are most often born in poor families. So it happened this time. His grandfather was an ordinary peasant, and his father worked in the duchy of Brunswick as a gardener, bricklayer or plumber. Parents learned that their child is a child prodigy when the baby is two years old. A year later, Karl already knows how to count, write and read.

At school his ability was noticed by the teacher when he gave the task to calculate the sum of the numbers from 1 to 100. Gauss quickly realized that all the extreme numbers in the pair were 101, and in a few seconds he solved this equation, multiplying 101 by 50.

The young mathematician was very lucky with the teacher. He helped him in everything, even tried to ensure that the beginning talent was paid a scholarship. With her help, Karl managed to graduate from college (1795).

Student years

After college, Gauss studies at the University of Göttingen. This period of life biographers designate as the most fruitful. At this time, he managed to prove that it is possible to draw the correct seventeen-corner using only the compasses. He assures: you can draw not only a seventeen-corner, but also other regular polygons, using only the compass and ruler.

At the University, Gauss begins to conduct a special notebook, which records all the records that relate to his research. Most of them were hidden from the public eye. For friends, he always repeated that he would not be able to publish a study or formula in which he was not 100% sure. For this reason, most of his ideas were discovered by other mathematicians 30 years later.

"Arithmetical research"

Along with the graduation from the university, mathematician Gauss completed his outstanding work "Arithmetic Studies" (1798), but he was only published two years later.

This extensive work defined the further development of mathematics (in particular, algebra and higher arithmetic). The main part of the work is focused on the description of the abiogenesis of quadratic forms. Biographers assure us that it is with him that Gauss's discoveries in mathematics begin. After all, he was the first mathematician to calculate fractions and translate them into functions.

Also in the book you can find the complete paradigm of equality of division of a circle. Gauss skillfully applies this theory, trying to solve the problem of drawing polygons with a ruler and a compass. Proving this probability, Karl Gauss (mathematician) introduces a series of numbers, which are called Gauss numbers (3, 5, 17, 257, 65337). This means that with the help of simple office supplies you can build a 3-gon, 5-gon, 17-gon, etc. But the 7-gon can not be built, because 7 is not a "Gauss number". To the "own" number the mathematician also assigns the two that are multiplied by any power of his number series (2 ³ , 2 ⁵ , etc.)

This result can be called a "pure existence theorem". As already mentioned at the beginning, Gauss liked to publish the final results, but never indicated methods. So in this case too: a mathematician asserts that it is quite feasible to construct a regular polygon , but he does not specify exactly how to do it.

Astronomy and the queen of sciences

In 1799, Karl Gauss (mathematician) received the title of privat-docent of the University of Braunschwein. Two years later, he was given a seat in the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, where he acts as a correspondent. He still continues to study the theory of numbers, but his range of interests expands after the discovery of a small planet. Gauss tries to calculate and indicate its exact location. Many people ask themselves how the planet was named for calculating the mathematician Gauss. However, few know that Ceres is not the only planet with which the scientist worked.

In 1801, for the first time, a new heavenly body was discovered. It happened unexpectedly and suddenly, just as suddenly the planet was lost. Gauss tried to find it by applying mathematical methods, and, strangely enough, it was exactly where the scientist pointed out.

The scientist has been engaged in astronomy for more than two decades. The Gauss method (a mathematician who has many discoveries) is gaining worldwide fame for determining the orbit with the help of three observations. Three observations - this is the place in which the planet is located in different periods of time. With the help of these indicators, Ceres was again found. In exactly the same way, another planet was discovered. Since 1802, when asked how the planet, discovered by the mathematician Gauss, was called, it was possible to answer: "Pallas". Running a little forward, it is worth noting that in 1923, the name of a famous mathematician was called a large asteroid, revolving around Mars. Gaussia, or asteroid 1001, is the officially recognized planet of the mathematician Gauss.

These were the first studies in the field of astronomy. Perhaps the contemplation of the starry sky was the reason that a person, keen on numbers, makes the decision to acquire a family. In 1805, he married Johann Osthof. In this alliance, the couple has three children, but the youngest son dies in infancy.

In 1806, the duke died, who patronized mathematics. The countries of Europe in vain start inviting Gauss to themselves. From 1807 until his last days Gauss headed the department at the University of Göttingen.

In 1809, the first wife of a mathematician dies, in the same year Gauss publishes her new creation - a book called "Paradigm of moving celestial bodies." Methods for calculating the orbits of the planets, which are set forth in this work, are still valid today (albeit with minor amendments).

The main theorem of algebra

The beginning of the nineteenth century, Germany met in a state of anarchy and decline. These years were hard for the mathematician, but he continues to live on. In 1810, Gauss second time binds himself by marriage - with Mine Waldeck. In this alliance, he has three more children: Teresa, Wilhelm and Eugen. Also in 1810 was marked by the receipt of a prestigious prize and a gold medal.

Gauss continues his work in the fields of astronomy and mathematics, exploring more and more unknown components of these sciences. His first publication, devoted to the fundamental theorem of algebra, dates back to 1815. The main idea is that the number of roots of a polynomial is directly proportional to its degree. Later, the statement took a slightly different form: any number in a degree not equal to zero, a priori has at least one root.

He first proved it in 1799, but was not satisfied with his work, so the publication was published 16 years later, with some amendments, additions and calculations.

Non-Euclidean theory

According to the data, in 1818 Gauss first managed to build a base for non-Euclidean geometry, whose theorems would have been possible in reality. Non-Euclidean geometry is a branch of science, distinguishable from Euclidean. The main feature of Euclidean geometry is the existence of axioms and theorems that do not require confirmation. In his book "Elements" Euclid derived statements that must be accepted without proof, because they can not be changed. Gauss was the first to prove that Euclidean theories can not always be perceived without justification, since in certain cases they do not have a solid basis of evidence that satisfies all the requirements of the experiment. This is how non-Euclidean geometry appeared. Of course, the basic geometric systems were discovered by Lobachevsky and Riemann, but the method of Gauss, a mathematician who can look deep and find truth, laid the foundation for this section of geometry.

Geodesy

In 1818, the government of Hanover decides that the need has ripened to measure the kingdom, and this task was given to Karl Friedrich Gauss. Discoveries in mathematics did not end there, but only acquired a new shade. He develops the computational combinations necessary for the task. They included the Gaussian "small squares" technique, which raised the geodesy to a new level.

He had to draw up maps and organize a survey of the area. This allowed him to acquire new knowledge and put new experiments, so in 1821 he began to write a work on geodesy. Gauss published this work in 1827, entitled "General Analysis of Uneven Plane". This work was based on ambushes of internal geometry. The mathematician considered that it is necessary to consider objects that are on the surface as properties of the surface itself, paying attention to the length of the curves, while ignoring the data of the enclosing space. Later this theory was supplemented by the works of B. Riemann and A. Aleksandrov.

Thanks to this work, the concept of "Gaussian curvature" began to appear in scientific circles (it determines the measure of the curvature of the plane at a certain point). Differential geometry begins to exist. And so that the results of observations are reliable, Carl Friedrich Gauss (mathematician) deduces new methods of obtaining quantities with a high level of probability.

Mechanics

In 1824 Gauss was included in absentia in the membership of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. On this, his achievements do not end, he still persists in mathematics and presents a new discovery: "Gaussian integers." By them are meant numbers having an imaginary and a real part, which are integers. In fact, with their properties, Gaussian numbers resemble ordinary ones, but those small distinctive characteristics allow us to prove the biquadratic law of reciprocity.

At any time he was inimitable. Gauss, a mathematician whose discoveries are so closely intertwined with life, - in 1829 introduced new corrections even into mechanics. At that time, his little work On a New Universal Principle of Mechanics was published. In it, Gauss proves that the principle of small impact can rightly be considered a new paradigm of mechanics. The scientist assures that this principle can be applied to all mechanical systems that are interconnected.

Physics

Since 1831, Gauss begins to suffer from severe insomnia. The disease manifested itself after the death of the second wife. He seeks solace in new research and acquaintances. So, thanks to his invitation to Goettingen came V. Weber. With a young talented person Gauss quickly finds a common language. They are both passionate about science, and the thirst for knowledge has to be quenched, exchanging their own know-how, guesswork and experience. These enthusiasts are quickly taken for a cause, devoting their time to the study of electromagnetism.

Gauss, a mathematician whose biography is of great scientific value, in 1832 created absolute units, which are still used today in physics. He distinguished three main positions: time, weight and distance (length). Along with this discovery in 1833, thanks to joint research with the physicist Weber, Gauss managed to invent an electromagnetic telegraph.

1839 marked the release of another work - "On the general abiogenesis of the forces of gravity and repulsion, which act directly proportional to the distance." The pages describe in detail the famous Gauss law (still known as the Gauss-Ostrogradsky theorem, or simply the Gauss theorem). This law is one of the basic in electrodynamics. It determines the relationship between the electric flux and the sum of the surface charge, divided by the electric constant.

In the same year, Gauss mastered the Russian language. He sends letters to Petersburg with a request to send him Russian books and magazines, especially he wished to get acquainted with the work "The Captain's Daughter". This fact of the biography proves that, in addition to the ability to calculate, Gauss had many other interests and hobbies.

Just a man

Gauss never hurried to publish. He checked his every job for a long time and painstakingly. For a mathematician, everything mattered: from the correctness of the formula to the elegance and simplicity of the syllable. He liked to say that his work was like a newly built house. The owner is shown only the final result of the work, and not the remains of the forest, which used to be on the site of the dwelling. Also with his work: Gauss was sure that no one should show the rough drafts of the study, only ready-made data, theories, formulas.

Gauss always showed a keen interest in science, but especially he was interested in mathematics, which he considered "the queen of all sciences." And nature did not deprive him of his mind and talents. Even in his old age, he, according to custom, spent most of the complex calculations in the mind. The mathematician has never before extended his work. Like every man, he was afraid that his contemporaries would not understand him. In one of his letters, Karl says that he is tired of forever balancing on the brink: on the one hand, he will support science with pleasure, but, on the other hand, he did not want to stir up the "wasp nest of dumb people".

All his life, Gauss spent in Göttingen, only once he managed to visit Berlin at a scientific conference. He could conduct research, experiments, calculations or measurements for a long time, but he did not like lecturing very much. He considered this process only an annoying necessity, but if he had talented students in his group, he spared neither time nor energy for them, and for many years kept up the correspondence discussing important scientific questions.

Carl Friedrich Gauss, mathematician, photo, who is posted in this article, was a truly amazing person. Outstanding knowledge could boast not only in the field of mathematics, but also with foreign languages "friends". Freely spoke in Latin, English and French, even mastered Russian. The mathematician read not only scientific memoirs, but also ordinary fiction. Especially he liked the works of Dickens, Swift and Walter Scott. After his younger sons emigrated to the United States, Gauss began to take an interest in American writers. Over time, addicted to Danish, Swedish, Italian and Spanish books. All the works the mathematician certainly read in the original.

Gauss took a very conservative position in public life. From an early age, he felt dependent on people with power. Even when in 1837 the university began a protest against the king, who curtailed the professors content, Charles did not interfere.

Last years

In 1849, Gauss marks the 50th anniversary of the conferment of a doctorate. Known mathematicians came to him , and this pleased him much more than the award of the next award. In the last years of his life, Karl Gauss was already suffering a lot. Mathematics was difficult to move, but the clarity and sharpness of the mind did not suffer from it.

Shortly before his death, Gauss's health worsened. Doctors diagnosed heart disease and nervous overexertion. Medicines practically did not help.

Mathematician Gauss died on February 23, 1855, at the age of seventy-eight. A famous scientist was buried in Göttingen and, according to his last will, he engraved on the tombstone the correct seventeen-cornered triangle. Later, his portraits will be printed on postage stamps and banknotes, the country will forever remember his best thinker.

This was Carl Friedrich Gauss - strange, intelligent and enthusiastic. And if they ask how the planet of mathematician Gauss is called, you can answer slowly: "Calculations!", Because he dedicated all of his life to them.