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Medieval Period

The document outlines the key contributions of Pierre de Fermat, Rene Descartes, and Leonhard Euler to mathematics during the Medieval Period. Fermat advanced number theory and calculus, while Descartes invented analytic geometry and advocated for rationalism. Euler synthesized and expanded upon their ideas, becoming one of the most influential mathematicians in history.

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95 views1 page

Medieval Period

The document outlines the key contributions of Pierre de Fermat, Rene Descartes, and Leonhard Euler to mathematics during the Medieval Period. Fermat advanced number theory and calculus, while Descartes invented analytic geometry and advocated for rationalism. Euler synthesized and expanded upon their ideas, becoming one of the most influential mathematicians in history.

Uploaded by

jhasminepanlilio151
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Medieval Period - Euler, Fermat, and Descartes Key Contributions:

Pierre de Fermat (1601-1665) • Number Theory: Extended Fermat’s work and


introduced Euler’s Theorem, totient function,
Key Contributions: and more.
• Number Theory: Fermat explored properties of • Calculus: Formalized and expanded calculus,
prime numbers and introduced Fermat’s Little introduced much of the modern notation (like
Theorem.
f(x).
• Analytic Geometry: Independently of • Graph Theory: His solution to the Königsberg
Descartes, Fermat developed early methods of bridge problem laid the foundations of graph
relating algebra and geometry. theory.
Key Contributions: Key Contributions:
• Calculus: Anticipated calculus through his • Mechanics, Astronomy, and Optics: Applied
method of adequality, used to find tangents mathematics to solve problems in physics and
and extrema. engineering
• Fermat’s Last Theorem: Famously claimed that Legacy:
has no whole number solutions • Euler’s prolific output (over 800 papers and
for n>2, which remained unproven until 1994. books) made him one of the most influential
mathematicians in history. He synthesized and
extended the mathematical ideas of the post-
Rene Descartes (1596-1650) medieval period, fully bridging the gap into the
modern age.
a French philosopher and mathematician who
bridged the gap between medieval scholasticism and
modern scientific thought.

Key Contributions:

• Analytic Geometry: Invented the coordinate


system (Cartesian coordinates), allowing
geometric shapes to be expressed algebraically.

• "La Géométrie" (1637): His groundbreaking


work that merged algebra with Euclidean
geometry.

• Advocated for rationalism, arguing that


mathematical reasoning was the path to true
knowledge.

Leonhard Euler (1707-1783)

a Swiss mathematician who lived in the century


following Fermat and Descartes but is crucial for
understanding how their ideas evolved.

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