History of Calculus (Con't)
History of Calculus (Con't)
(OP)
I was looking at this thread earlier today:
http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=412172
I would have posted my question there but the thread is closed. One thing I've never been too clear on this is: how much (if any) Newton and/or Liebnitz were influenced by mathematicians from other nations/lands? I was listening to a on-line debate a few weeks back (that was (in part) about Afrocentrism) and one of the debaters questioned how much Newton really developed calculus compared to people that came before him.
http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=412172
I would have posted my question there but the thread is closed. One thing I've never been too clear on this is: how much (if any) Newton and/or Liebnitz were influenced by mathematicians from other nations/lands? I was listening to a on-line debate a few weeks back (that was (in part) about Afrocentrism) and one of the debaters questioned how much Newton really developed calculus compared to people that came before him.
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
Did Newton build his theories off of the research of others (discovery)?
Or did he create a whole new way to apply what was already known (developed)?
Much like the physical sciences, it's always been there since the start of the universe, but it takes humans a while to discover it (like graphite). Once discovered, it takes a different kind of mind to do something with it (like graphene).
--Scott
www.aerornd.com
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
So... What's there to debate? Newton said it himself.
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
I guess my question is: who are the "giants"? (And how big of a role did they play?)
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
But, all of that requires advanced algebra, and calculus is incomplete without trigonometry.
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg
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RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
He may have been able to do some parts of calculus without having a zero... They had a pretty good understanding of triangles, similar triangles, slopes and ratios.
Dik
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers Entire Forum list http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
Agreed... but he was involved with proportions and slopes... the latter being fundamental derivative...
Dik
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers Entire Forum list http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
"Current opinion is that Descartes had the most influence of anyone on the young Newton, and this is arguably one of Descartes' most important contributions. Newton continued Descartes' work on cubic equations, which freed the subject from the fetters of the Greek perspectives. The most important concept was his very modern treatment of independent variables."
The cartesian coordinate system (or orthogonal coordinates if you like) is a pretty useful idea underpinning calculus.
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
That was a straight proportions problem, neither trig nor algebra required.
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers Entire Forum list http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
B.E.
You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
e: The Story of a Number
Eli Maor
An epic voyage of discovery, spanning the centuries and still very relevant today. Starring all the greats, including: Napier, Archimedes, Fermat, Galileo, Kepler, Laplace. The battle between Newton and Leibniz. And a late appearance from perhaps the greatest player of all: Euler.
(Not about MDMA)
Steve
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
RE: History of Calculus (Con't)
That book has been on my Amazon 'Math' wish list for about a year and a half, with me impatiently waiting for the 'hardcover price and condition gods' to smile upon me. Your post prompted me to check the availability again, and now a cheap and 'very good' copy is on the way. Well timed reminder.