Leonhard Euler

Leonhard Euler (pronounced 'Oiler') was probably the most versatile and prolific writer in the history of mathematics. Euler produced over 700 books and papers, many of which were created during the last seventeen years of his life while he was totally blind. He wrote an average 800 of pages of mathematics each year. Euler's writings spanned pure mathematics, astronomy, annuities, life expectancy, lotteries and music.

Euler was the son of Swiss minister and mathematician who studied under Jacob Bernoulli. Euler was schooled in theology and mathematics and was to become a minister. However, his mathematical curiosity and ability prevailed, and his father eventually allowed him to concentrate on mathematics. He was awarded his master's degree at the age of sixteen. At the age of twenty six, at the invitation of Catherine I, he was appointed to the Academy of St. Petersburg, a major center of scientific research. Later he was invited to Berlin by Frederick the Great.



Euler's phenomenal memory has been subject of many legend. Having memorized Virgil's Aeneid, Euler could recite the first and the last line on any page of his copy. When confronted by two student who asked him to settle a disputed mathematical calculation in the fiftieth place, Euler successfully calculated the true result in his head.

One of Euler's skills was the creation of notation that were useful and compact. His writing were very popular, and the notations he introduced have endured. He introduced the notation f(x) for a function, and he was the first to use phi (on symbols) for 3.14.. , i for root of negative one, and e for natural number that equal to 2.718281828...