John Wallis
John Wallis, (born Nov. 23, 1616, Ashford, Kent, Eng.—died Oct. 28, 1703, Oxford, Oxfordshire), English mathematician who contributed substantially to the origins of the calculus and was the most influential English mathematician before Isaac Newton.
Contents
[hide]Family History
He taught Geometry at the University of Oxford. Wallis's father wanted him to become a doctor, but John decided he wanted to study mathematics.
Education
Wallis learned Latin, Greek, Hebrew, logic, and arithmetic during his early school years.
Influences
He read a book of arithmetic with his brother when it caught his eye one day and he decided he wanted to be a mathematician.
How he changed the world?
He created the concept of infinity, a formula for calculating the approximate area of a circle by using Algebra, and he brought negative numbers into math.
Why is he important?
He brought in a lot of important math concepts that helped mathematics excel in their field.
References
- Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “John Wallis.” Encyclopædia Britannica,
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 13 June 2017, www.britannica.com/biography/John-Wallis. - John Wallis . (2012). Famous-Mathematicians.com. Retrieved 04:07, May 1, 2018 from https://famous-mathematicians.com/john-wallis/