Mathematician Gauss was a reserved person. Eric Temple Bell, who studied his biography, believes that if Gauss had published all his research and discoveries in full and on time, half a dozen more mathematicians could have become famous. And so they had to spend the lion's share of the time to find out how the scientist received this or that data. After all, he rarely published methods, he was always interested only in the result. An outstanding mathematician, a strange man and an inimitable personality - this is all Carl Friedrich Gauss.
Early years
The future mathematician Gauss was born on 1777-30-04. This, of course, is a strange phenomenon, but outstanding people are most often born in poor families. That's what happened this time as well. His grandfather was an ordinary peasant, and his father worked in the Duchy of Brunswick as a gardener, bricklayer or plumber. Parents found out that their child was a child prodigy when the baby was two years old. A year later, Carl can already count, write and read.
At school, his teacher noticed his abilities when he gave the task to calculate the sum of numbers from 1 to 100. Gauss quickly managed to understand that all extreme numbers inpair is 101, and in a matter of seconds he solved this equation by multiplying 101 by 50.
The young mathematician was incredibly lucky with the teacher. He helped him in everything, even lobbied for a scholarship to be paid to the beginning talent. With her help, Karl managed to graduate from college (1795).
Student years
After college, Gauss studies at the University of Göttingen. Biographers designate this period of life as the most fruitful. At this time, he managed to prove that it is possible to draw a regular seventeen-sided triangle using only a compass. He assures that it is possible to draw not only a seventeen, but also other regular polygons, using only a compass and a ruler.
At the university, Gauss begins to keep a special notebook, where he enters all the notes that relate to his research. Most of them were hidden from the public eye. To friends, he always repeated that he could not publish a study or a formula that he was not 100% sure of. For this reason, most of his ideas were discovered by other mathematicians 30 years later.
Arithmetical Research
After graduating from university, the mathematician Gauss completed his outstanding work "Arithmetical Investigations" (1798), but it was not published until two years later.
This extensive work determined the further development of mathematics (in particular, algebra and higher arithmetic). The main part of the work is focused on describing the abiogenesis of quadratic forms. Biographers claim that it was from himGauss' discoveries in mathematics begin. After all, he was the first mathematician who managed to calculate fractions and translate them into functions.
Also in the book you can find the complete paradigm of the equalities of dividing the circle. Gauss skillfully applied this theory, trying to solve the problem of tracing polygons with a ruler and compass. Proving this probability, Carl Gauss (mathematician) introduces a series of numbers, which are called Gauss numbers (3, 5, 17, 257, 65337). This means that with the help of simple stationery items, you can build a 3-gon, 5-gon, 17-gon, etc. But it will not work to build a 7-gon, because 7 is not a “Gauss number”. The mathematician also refers to “his” numbers twos, which multiplied by any power of his series of numbers (23, 25, etc.)
This result can be called "pure existence theorem". As mentioned at the outset, Gauss liked to publish his final results, but he never specified the methods. It is the same in this case: the mathematician claims that it is quite possible to build a regular polygon, but he does not specify exactly how to do it.
Astronomy and the queen of sciences
in 1799, Karl Gauss (mathematician) receives the title of Privatdozent at Braunschwein University. Two years later, he is given a place at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, where he acts as a correspondent. He still continues to study number theory, but his circle of interests expands after the discovery of a small planet. Gauss is trying to figure out and pinpoint her exact location. Many wonder what the planet was called by calculationsGauss mathematics. However, few people know that Ceres is not the only planet the scientist has worked with.
In 1801, a new celestial body was discovered for the first time. It happened unexpectedly and suddenly, just as suddenly the planet was lost. Gauss tried to find it using mathematical methods, and, oddly enough, it was exactly where the scientist indicated.
The scientist has been engaged in astronomy for more than two decades. The method of Gauss (mathematics, which owns many discoveries) for determining the orbit using three observations is gaining worldwide fame. Three observations - this is the place where the planet is located at different times. With the help of these indicators, Ceres was again found. In exactly the same way, another planet was discovered. Since 1802, when asked the name of the planet discovered by the mathematician Gauss, one could answer: "Pallas". Looking ahead a little, it is worth noting that in 1923 a large asteroid orbiting Mars was named after a famous mathematician. Gaussia, or asteroid 1001, is the officially recognized planet of Mathematician Gauss.
These were the first studies in the field of astronomy. Perhaps the contemplation of the starry sky was the reason that a person, fascinated by numbers, decides to start a family. In 1805 he marries Johanna Ostgof. In this union, the couple has three children, but the youngest son dies in infancy.
In 1806, the duke who patronized mathematics died. European countries vied with each other to begininvite Gauss to your place. From 1807 until his last days, Gauss headed the department at the University of Göttingen.
In 1809, the first wife of a mathematician dies, in the same year Gauss publishes his new creation - a book called "The Paradigm of the Movement of Celestial Bodies". The methods for calculating the orbits of the planets, which are outlined in this work, are still relevant today (albeit with minor amendments).
Main theorem of algebra
Germany met the beginning of the 19th century in a state of anarchy and decline. These years were difficult for the mathematician, but he continues to live on. In 1810, Gauss tied the knot for the second time - with Minna Waldeck. In this union, he has three more children: Teresa, Wilhelm and Eugen. Also, 1810 was marked by the receipt of a prestigious award and a gold medal.
Gauss continues his work in the fields of astronomy and mathematics, exploring more and more unknown components of these sciences. His first publication on the fundamental theorem of algebra dates back to 1815. The main idea is this: the number of roots of a polynomial is directly proportional to its degree. Later, the statement took on a slightly different form: any number to a power not equal to zero a priori has at least one root.
He proved it for the first time back in 1799, but was not satisfied with his work, so the publication was published 16 years later, with some corrections, additions and calculations.
Non-Euclidean theory
According to the data, in 1818 Gauss was the first to construct a base for non-Euclidean geometry, the theorems of which would bepossible in reality. Non-Euclidean geometry is a field of science distinct from Euclidean. The main feature of Euclidean geometry is the presence of axioms and theorems that do not require confirmation. In his Elements, Euclid made statements that must be accepted without proof, because they cannot be changed. Gauss was the first to prove that Euclid's theories cannot always be taken without justification, since in certain cases they do not have a solid evidence base that satisfies all the requirements of the experiment. This is how non-Euclidean geometry appeared. Of course, the basic geometric systems were discovered by Lobachevsky and Riemann, but the method of Gauss - a mathematician who can look deep and find the truth - laid the foundation for this branch of geometry.
Geodesy
In 1818, the government of Hanover decides that it is time to measure the kingdom, and this task was given to Carl Friedrich Gauss. Discoveries in mathematics did not end there, but only acquired a new shade. He develops the computational combinations necessary to complete the task. These included the Gaussian "small squares" technique, which took geodesy to a new level.
He had to make maps and organize surveys of the area. This allowed him to acquire new knowledge and set up new experiments, so in 1821 he began to write a work on geodesy. This work of Gauss was published in 1827 under the title "General Analysis of Rough Planes". This work was based onambushes of internal geometry are laid. The mathematician believed that it was necessary to consider objects that are on the surface as properties of the surface itself, paying attention to the length of the curves, while ignoring the data of the surrounding space. Somewhat later, this theory was supplemented by the works of B. Riemann and A. Alexandrov.
Thanks to this work, the concept of “Gaussian curvature” began to appear in scientific circles (determines the measure of the curvature of a plane at a certain point). The differential geometry begins its existence. And to make the results of observations reliable, Carl Friedrich Gauss (mathematician) deduces new methods for obtaining values with a high level of probability.
Mechanics
In 1824, Gauss was included in absentia into the membership of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. This is not the end of his achievements, he is still hard at mathematics and presents a new discovery: “Gaussian integers”. They mean numbers that have an imaginary and real part, which are integers. In fact, Gaussian numbers resemble ordinary integers in their properties, but those small distinguishing characteristics allow us to prove the biquadratic reciprocity law.
At any time he was inimitable. Gauss - a mathematician whose discoveries are so closely intertwined with life - in 1829 made new adjustments even to mechanics. At this time, his small work "On a new universal principle of mechanics" was published. In it, Gauss proves that the principle of small impact can rightly be considered a new paradigm of mechanics. The scientist claims that this principle can beapply to all mechanical systems that are interconnected.
Physics
From 1831, Gauss began to suffer from severe insomnia. The disease manifested itself after the death of the second wife. He seeks solace in new explorations and acquaintances. So, thanks to his invitation, W. Weber came to Göttingen. With a young talented person, Gauss quickly finds a common language. They are both passionate about science, and the thirst for knowledge has to be appeased by exchanging their best practices, guesses and experiences. These enthusiasts quickly get to work, devoting their time to the study of electromagnetism.
Gauss, a mathematician whose biography is of great scientific value, created absolute units in 1832, which are still used in physics today. He singled out three main positions: time, weight and distance (length). Along with this discovery, in 1833, thanks to joint research with the physicist Weber, Gauss succeeded in inventing the electromagnetic telegraph.
1839 was marked by the release of another essay - "On the general abiogenesis of the forces of gravity and repulsion, which act in direct proportion to the distance." The pages describe in detail the famous Gauss law (also known as the Gauss-Ostrogradsky theorem, or simply the Gauss theorem). This law is one of the fundamental in electrodynamics. It defines the relationship between electrical flow and the sum of the surface charge, divided by the electrical constant.
In the same year, Gauss mastered the Russian language. He sends letters to St. Petersburg with a request to send himRussian books and magazines, he especially wanted to get acquainted with the work "The Captain's Daughter". This fact of the biography proves that, in addition to the ability to calculate, Gauss had many other interests and hobbies.
Just a man
Gauss was never in a hurry to publish. He carefully and painstakingly checked each of his work. For a mathematician, everything mattered: from the correctness of the formula to the elegance and simplicity of the syllable. He liked to repeat that his work is like a newly built house. The owner is shown only the end result of the work, and not the remains of the forest that used to be on the site of the dwelling. It was the same with his work: Gauss was sure that no one should be shown rough outlines of research, only ready-made data, theories, formulas.
Gauss always showed a keen interest in the sciences, but he was especially interested in mathematics, which he considered "the queen of all sciences." And nature did not deprive him of his mind and talents. Even in his old age, he, according to custom, did most of the complex calculations in his head. The mathematician never spoke about his work in advance. Like every person, he was afraid that his contemporaries would not understand him. In one of his letters, Karl says that he is tired of always balancing on the edge: on the one hand, he will support science with pleasure, but, on the other hand, he did not want to stir up a "hornet's nest of dull ones."
Gauss spent his entire life in Göttingen, only once did he manage to visit a scientific conference in Berlin. He could longtime to conduct research, experiments, calculations or measurements, but did not like to lecture very much. He considered this process only an unfortunate necessity, but if talented students appeared in his group, he spared neither time nor effort for them, and for many years maintained a correspondence discussing important scientific issues.
Carl Friedrich Gauss, mathematician, photo posted in this article, was a truly amazing person. He could boast of outstanding knowledge not only in the field of mathematics, but was also “friends” with foreign languages. He was fluent in Latin, English and French, and even mastered Russian. The mathematician read not only scientific memoirs, but also ordinary fiction. He especially liked the works of Dickens, Swift and W alter Scott. After his younger sons emigrated to the US, Gauss became interested in American writers. Over time, he became addicted to Danish, Swedish, Italian and Spanish books. All the works of the mathematician must be read in the original.
Gauss took a very conservative position in public life. From an early age, he felt dependent on people in power. Even when a protest began at the university in 1837 against the king, who cut the salaries of professors, Karl did not intervene.
Recent years
In 1849, Gauss celebrates the 50th anniversary of his doctorate. Well-known mathematicians came to visit him, and this pleased him much more than the assignment of another award. In the last years of his life, he was already sick a lot. Carl Gauss. It was difficult for the mathematician to move around, but the clarity and sharpness of the mind did not suffer from this.
Shortly before his death, Gauss's he alth deteriorated. Doctors diagnosed heart disease and nervous strain. Medicines did little to help.
The mathematician Gauss died on February 23, 1855, at the age of seventy-eight. The famous scientist was buried in Göttingen and, according to his last will, a regular seventeenagon was engraved on the tombstone. Later, his portraits will be printed on postage stamps and banknotes, the country will forever remember its best thinker.
This was Carl Friedrich Gauss - strange, smart and enthusiastic. And if they ask what the name of the planet of the mathematician Gauss is, you can slowly answer: “Computations!”, After all, he devoted his whole life to them.
