Leonardo Pisano: Fibonacci
Leonardo Pisano Bigollo, better known as Fibonacci, was an Italian mathematician during the 13th century. He is often referred to as "the most talented Western mathematician of the Middle Ages” due to his great contribution in European mathematics. When he was a young boy, Fibonacci went on a trip with his father to North Africa. It was there that he became familiar with Arabic mathematics. Using the knowledge he gained during his trip, he wrote a book titled “Liber Abaci” (Which translates to “Book of Calculation”). In it, Fibonacci gives multiple reasons as to why Europeans should favor the Hindu-Arabic numeral system over Roman numerals. He claimed that it would especially make a greater impact on merchants and mathematicians due to their
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He is most known for laying down the foundation for the modern theory of probabilities. When he was young, Pascal’s father, Etienne, had taken it upon himself to be his son’s teacher. While being his son’s teacher, Etienne made sure to not incorporate mathematics in his teachings, out of fear that his son would quickly neglect other subjects and make geometry his priority. Ironically, Pascal grew up to be one of the most famous mathematicians in history. In the long run, Etienne’s plan of keeping mathematics out of his son’s studies backfired. Due to the fact that Pascal was banned from learning geometry, it only made him more interested in the subject. Blaise Pascal is famous for a multitude of reasons, but mainly for the Pascal Triangle. This arithmetical triangle is comprised of rows and rows of numbers. To build the triangle, you start with the number “1” at the top, which is Row 0. To continue the triangle, you place numbers below it in a triangular pattern. Every number is the sum of the numbers directly above it. The Pascal Triangle includes various patterns,one of them being the Fibonacci Sequence. Although several mathematicians in India, Iran, China, Germany, and Italy had discovered this arithmetical concept centuries before Pascal did, Pascal was able to bring this triangular array of binomial coefficients to the Western
He is most known for laying down the foundation for the modern theory of probabilities. When he was young, Pascal’s father, Etienne, had taken it upon himself to be his son’s teacher. While being his son’s teacher, Etienne made sure to not incorporate mathematics in his teachings, out of fear that his son would quickly neglect other subjects and make geometry his priority. Ironically, Pascal grew up to be one of the most famous mathematicians in history. In the long run, Etienne’s plan of keeping mathematics out of his son’s studies backfired. Due to the fact that Pascal was banned from learning geometry, it only made him more interested in the subject. Blaise Pascal is famous for a multitude of reasons, but mainly for the Pascal Triangle. This arithmetical triangle is comprised of rows and rows of numbers. To build the triangle, you start with the number “1” at the top, which is Row 0. To continue the triangle, you place numbers below it in a triangular pattern. Every number is the sum of the numbers directly above it. The Pascal Triangle includes various patterns,one of them being the Fibonacci Sequence. Although several mathematicians in India, Iran, China, Germany, and Italy had discovered this arithmetical concept centuries before Pascal did, Pascal was able to bring this triangular array of binomial coefficients to the Western