Archimedes :: essays papers

ArchimedesArchimedes of Syracuse (ca. 287-ca. 212 BC) Greek mathematician who flourished in Sicily. He is generally considered to be the greatest mathematician of ancient times. Most of the facts about his life come from a biography about the papistical soldier Marcellus written by the Roman biographer Plutarch. Archimedes performed numerous geometric proofs using the rigid geometric formalism adumbrate by Euclid (Greek geometer who wrote the Elements, the worlds most definitive text on geometry.), excelling in particular at computing areas and volumes using the METHOD OF EXHAUSTION(a integral-like limiting process to see the area and volume of 2-D lamina and 3-D solids.).2-D Laminas3-D Solids He was in particular proud of his discovery for finding the volume of a sphere, showing that it is both thirds the volume of the smallest cylinder that can contain it. At his request, the figure of a sphere and cylinder as engraved on his tombstone. In fact, it is very m uch said that Archimedes would have invented calculus if the Greeks had only possessed a more(prenominal) tract adequate mathematical notation. By inscribing and circumscribing polygons on a circle, for instance, he was able to constrain the value of (pi ) between 3 10/71 and 3+1/7. Archimedes was besides an outstanding engineer, formulating Archimedes principle of buayancy and the law of the lever. Legend has it that Archimedes discover his principle of buoyancy, which states that the buoyancy force is equal to the weight of the liquid displaced, slice taking a bath, upon which he is supposed to have run in the altogether through the streets of Syracuse shouting Eureka (I have found it). Archimedes is also purported to have invented the Archimedean screw. Some of Archimedess geometric proofs were actually motivated by automatic arguments which led him to the correct answer.