Abraham De Moivre ================
Abraham de Moivre (1667–1754) was a French mathematician who made significant contributions to analytic geometry, trigonometry, and the theory of probability. He is best known for the De Moivre's formula and the Stirling's approximation.
Early Life and Education
De Moivre was born in Vitry-le-François, France, on November 3, 1667 [1]. His parents were Daniel de Moivre, a surgeon, and his wife, Marie [2]. Due to the intense Protestant persecution, De Moivre's father sent him to the Christian Brothers' Catholic school in Vitry at the age of five [3]. However, at the age of eleven, his parents enrolled him in the Protestant Academy at Sedan [4]. The academy was suppressed in 1682 due to the intense Protestant persecution, and De Moivre was subsequently enrolled in the logic program at Saumur for two years [5].
In 1684, De Moivre moved to Paris to continue his studies, focusing on physics and mathematics [6]. This marked the beginning of his formal education in mathematics [7]. As a Huguenot, De Moivre faced persecution and was sent to prison in 1685 after being accused of being a heretic [8].
After his release from prison, De Moivre fled to England, where he spent the rest of his days in London. He became close friends with Sir Isaac Newton, James Stirling, and Edmond Halley [9]. Although he worked mostly as a math tutor, De Moivre was elected fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1697 and a member of the Berlin and Paris academies [10].
Contributions to Mathematics
De Moivre made significant contributions to various fields of mathematics. Some of his notable achievements include:
* The Doctrine of Chances: The first written and published book on probability theory, which laid the foundation for modern probability theory. * Binet's Formula: De Moivre worked with Binet's formula and applied it to Fibonacci numbers and the Golden Ratio. * Central Limit Theorem: De Moivre developed the central limit theorem, a key concept in probability theory.
De Moivre's Formula
In mathematics, the De Moivre's formula states that for any real number "x" and integer "n", it holds that:
cos(x) + i sin(x)n = cos(nx) + i sin(nx)
This formula has numerous applications in trigonometry, geometry, and probability theory [11].
Stirling's Approximation
De Moivre also developed the Stirling's approximation, which is used to approximate large factorials [12]. The approximation is given by:
n! ≈ √(2πn) \* (n/e)^n
This formula has numerous applications in mathematics and statistics.
Personal Life
Abraham de Moivre died on November 27, 1754 [13]. Many of his papers were published after his death. There are conflicting accounts about De Moivre's personal life, with some sources claiming that he was married and had children [14].
Legacy
De Moivre's contributions to mathematics have had a lasting impact on the field. His formulas and theorems continue to be used in various applications of mathematics and statistics.
References:
[1] Wikipedia: Abraham de Moivre
[2] Encyclopedia Britannica: Abraham de Moivre
[3] History of Mathematics: Abraham de Moivre
[4] World Biography: Abraham de Moivre
[5] Google Books: Abraham de Moivre's Life
[6] Mathworld: Abraham de Moivre
[7] The Mathematical Gazette: Abraham de Moivre
[8] Wikipedia: Huguenot persecution
[9] Encyclopedia Britannica: Sir Isaac Newton
[10] Royal Society: Fellows of the Royal Society
[11] Math Stack Exchange: De Moivre's formula
[12] Wolfram Alpha: Stirling's approximation
[13] History.com: Abraham de Moivre
[14] Wikipedia: Abraham de Moivre