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Gauss Presentation - Math425

noelle.brown
December 1st, 2014
Carl Friedrich Gauss

By. Noelle Brown
Introduction
  • Born in Brunswik, Duchy of Brunswick (now Germany) on April 30, 1777

  • Gauss was an influential mathematician, astronomer, and physicist
"The Prince of Mathematicians"
Biography
  • Summed the first 100 counting numbers quickly at the age of 7
  • Entered Brunswick Collegium Carolinum in 1792
  • Göttingen University in 1795 
  • Married Johanna Ostoff on October 9, 1805
  • Became director of the Göttingen observatory in 1807 
  • Died in Göttingen, Hanover (now Germany) on February 23, 1855
Mathematical Contributions
Discovered: 
  • Bode’s law
  • the binomial theorem
  • the arithmetic-geometric mean
  • the law of quadratic reciprocity
  • the prime number theorem
  • Discovered the construction of a regular 17-gon by ruler and compass
    • Published in a work mostly devoted to number theory
  • Discovered the position of Ceres, a new “small planet” using his least squares approximation method
  • Published a two-volume work on the motion of celestial bodies 
  • Theoria combinationis observationum erroribus minimis obnoxiae 1823
    • focused on the least squares method
    • provided vital links between science and nature
  • Invented the heliotrope
    • reflected the sun’s rays but created an inaccurate network of triangles
  • Won the Copenhagen University Prize in 1822 
    • with the idea of mapping one surface onto another so the two are similar in their smallest parts
  • Writings suggest that he believed in the existence of non-Euclidian geometry in early 1800's
  • Built a primitive telegraph which sent messages over 5000 ft.
Impact
  • Significant contributions to physics & astronomy
  • Significant contributions to statistics
  • Significant contributions to many other fields, including:
    • number theory
    • algebra
    • analysis
    • differential geometry
    • electrostatics
    • matrix theory
    • optics
Ranked as one of history's most influential mathematicians
Conclusion & Questions
What method did Gauss use to estimate the position of Ceres, a new planet?
A: The least squares method
What formula is Gauss rumored to have discovered at the age of seven?
A: the sum of the first n natural counting numbers
The End
References:

Images from Google Images
O’Conner, J. & Robertson, E. (1996, December). Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss. Retrieved from http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Biographies/Gauss.html Mastin, L. (2010) 19th Century Mathematics – Gauss. Retrieved from http://www.storyofmathematics.com/19th_gauss.html Ravenel, D. (2014). Gauss Page. Retrieved from: http://www.math.rochester.edu/people/faculty/doug/UGpages/gauss.html “Quotations by Carl Friedrich Gauss” (2013, December). Quotations by Gauss. Retrieved from: http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Quotations/Gauss.html
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