Leonhard Euler was born in Basel, Switzerland on 15th April, 1707, and died in Saint Petersburg, Russia on 18th September, 1783.
Euler was noted for his expertise in astronomy, physics, geography and engineering. But, for now, we’ll focus on some snippets of his remarkable work as a mathematician.
Achievements in Maths
- Euler is thought to be one of the most prolific maths theorists of all time, having published over 850 papers on different areas of mathematics.
- Many maths concepts that we use today were originated by Euler, including the idea of a function (a term he invented) as a means of investigating a maths problem.
Carl Friedrich Gauss on Leonhard Euler
Euler was greatly admired amongst his peers and contemporaries, as summed up by this apt quote:
The study of Euler’s works will remain the best school for the different fields of mathematics and nothing else can replace it.
Carl Friedrich Gauss
Potential Barriers to his Work
In the late 1730s, Euler lost most of his sight in one eye. He subsequently lost his sight entirely in the late 1760s.
Interesting Fact
Euler initially studied to work in the church, however, he found himself more interested in mathematics and decided to change career path.
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