tions, see “Algebra.”) One of the first was Scipione del Ferro (1465–1526), who in 1515
discovered a formula to solve cubic equations. He kept his work a complete secret until
just before his death, when he revealed the method to his student Antonio Maria Fiore.Who was Adam Ries?
Adam Ries (1492–1559) was the first person to write several books teaching the arith-
metic method by the old abacus and new Indian methods; his books also presented the
basics of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Unlike most books of his
time that were written in Latin and only understood by mathematicians, scientists,
and engineers, Ries’s works were written in his native German and were therefore
understood by the general public. The books were also printed, making them more
readily available to a wider audience.Who was François Viète?
French mathematician François Viète (or Franciscus Vieta, 1540–1603) is often called
the “founder of modern algebra.” He introduced the use of letters as algebraic symbols
(although Descartes [see below] introduced the convention of letters at the end of the
alphabet [x, y, ...] for unknowns and letters at the beginning of the alphabet [a, b, ...]
for knowns), and connected algebra with geometry and trigonometry. He also includ-
ed trigonometric tables in his Canon Mathematicus(1571), along with the theory
behind their construction. This book was originally meant to be a mathematical intro-
duction to his unpublished astronomical treatise, Ad harmonicon coeleste. (For more
about Viète, see “Algebra” and “Geometry and Trigonometry.”)What centuryproduced the greatest revolutionin mathematics?
Many mathematicians and historians believe that the 17th century saw not only the
unprecedented growth of science but also the greatest revolution in mathematics.
This century included the discovery of logarithms, the study of probability, the inter-
actions between mathematics, physics, and astronomy, and the development of one of
the most profound mathematical studies of all: calculus.Who explained the nature of logarithms?
Scottish mathematician John Napier (1550–1617) first conceived the idea of loga-
rithms in 1594. It took him 20 years, until 1614, to publish a canon of logarithms
called Mirifici logarithmorum canonis descripto(Description of the Wonderful Canon
of Logarithms). The canon explains the nature of logarithms, gives their rules of use,
24 and offers logarithmic tables. (For more about logarithms, see “Algebra.”)