Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College: Pierre De Fermat (1601 1665)
The events of the life of Pierre de Fermat are presented in a timeline form. The biographical information is taken from "A Short Account of the History of Mathematics" by W. W. Rouse Ball (4th Edition, 1908).
Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College: Pierre Simon Laplace (1749 1827)
The events of the life of Pierre Laplace are presented in a timeline form. The biographical information is taken from "A Short Account of the History of Mathematics" by W. W. Rouse Ball (4th Edition, 1908).
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: St. Andrews: History of the Four Color Theorem
The University of St. Andrews offers a brief history of the first math problem to be solved with computers.
Texas A&M University
Texas a & M University: Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans
A biography of Pythagoras, his school, his teachings, and the history of his approach to mathematics. Includes many formulas connected to Pythagoras.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Where Do Math Symbols Come From?
John David Walters shares the origins of mathematical symbols and illuminates why they're still so important in the field today.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Mathematics of Sidewalk Illusions
Have you ever come across an oddly stretched image on the sidewalk, only to find that it looks remarkably realistic if you stand in exactly the right spot? These sidewalk illusions employ a technique called anamorphosis- a special case...
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Eratosthenes of Cyrene
Gives details of the accomplishments of Eratosthenes in the field of mathematics.
Other
Divulga Mat: Biografias De Matematicos Espanoles Ilustre
In this math resource from the Real Sociedad Matematica Espanola, you can read the biographies of famous Spanish mathematicians.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Aristarchus of Samos
This site gives an extensive discussion of Aristarchus' accomplishments in determining the size of the sun and moon and in proposing a sun-centered universe.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: An Overview of Egyptian Mathematics
This site presents a detailed overview of Egyptian mathematics, focusing on the arithmetical methods which they devised to work with their numerals.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: An Overview of Babylonian Mathematics
Information and examples of how the base 60 number system of the Babylonians worked in calculating problems similar to those we face today. Has a section comparing Pythagoras's theorem to Babylonian math.
World History Encyclopedia
World History Encyclopedia: Archimedes
Illustrated entry provides an account of the life of Archimedes, a pioneer in the fields of mathematics and engineering.
Other
U of North Dakota: Fundamental Theorem of Algebra
A historical overview of the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra. Links to historic mathematicians and the development of this theorem.
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Olympic Starters
How do you compare to these results from Olympic Games in the past if you try similar running and jumping activities? This activity uses the history of the Olympic Games to introduce ideas about measuring time and distances in standard...
Stanford University
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Democritus
A look at the life of Democritus of Abdera. He helped to develop a theory of atomism, explained in detail here. Other significant ideas he had included his theory of perception, a theory of the soul and its relationship to living things,...
ibiblio
Ibiblio: How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement
The Center for Mathematics and Science Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill provides an interesting and easy-to-use dictionary of the history and meaning of many measurement terms. Metric, International, and...
Islami City
Islamic History: Arabic Numerals
Considers the origin of our "Arabic," system of number notation as probably having originated in India. Has illustrations demonstrating how much less cumbersome this system is than Roman, Egyptian, or Greek numeration.
Agnes Scott College
Alphabetical Index of Women Mathematicians
Read the biographies of dozens of women mathematicians who were important in the 1700's, 1800's, and 1900's.
Library of Congress
Loc: Rome Reborn: The Vatican Library & Renaissance Culture
This page chronicles an exhibit hosted by the Library of Congress of manuscripts and documents from the Vatican Library. Includes manuscripts of both a secular and religious nature as well as a detailed history of the Vatican Library....
New York University
Institute for the Study of the Ancient World: Before Pythagoras
Exhibition of cuneiform tablets dating from 1900 B.C. demonstrates the mathematical knowledge of the ancient Mesopotamians.
Other
Frieze Patterns: Mathematics and the Liberal Arts
Provides a listing of books that are useful in research on this topic.
Trinity College Dublin
Mathematicians of the Seventeenth & Eighteenth Centuries
Read accounts of the lives and works of seventeenth and eighteenth century mathematicians, including Sir Isaac Newton and Rene Descartes.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: James Clerk Maxwell
Research resources for James Maxwell (1831-1879), who did revolutionary work on electricity and magnetism and on the kinetic theory of gases.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Thomas Young
A short biographical sketch of Thomas Young's (1863- 1942) life as a mathematician and a scientist. Gives an account of his birth and the final years of his life.