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introduction
If you ask who the greatest figure in mathematics of the 18th century was, many would not hesitate to say such a name: Leonhard Euler.
He is recognized as one of the four great mathematicians in the history of mathematics, along with Archimedes, Newton and Gauss, and he is arguably the most prolific mathematician of all time.
(Euler)
In addition to algebra and geometry, Euler has worked in physics and mechanics, astronomy, navigation and architecture.
He was a well-deserved genius, entering university Xi at the age of 13, publishing a doctoral thesis at the age of 19, according to statistics, he published an average of 800 pages a year, and he once proudly said that his posthumous manuscript would last 20 years at the Petersburg Academy of Sciences.
Euler is a well-deserved founder of modern Russian mathematics. Both the Soviet Union and now Russia reverally call him the greatest Russian mathematician.
However, Euler is not Russian, but Swiss, and the genius's path to knowledge is not easy. Before his death at the age of 76, he lived in darkness for 17 years in complete blindness. How, then, did Euler come to Russia and take root, and why did he immortalize his scholarship and conduct in history?
(Euler commemorative stamp of the former Soviet Union)
1. Genius is not in vain, and brilliant achievements are admirable
In almost every branch of mathematics, Euler left traces of his own exploration. In every student's math class, constants, formulas, and theorems named after Euler appear to a greater or lesser extent. But if it is only a theoretical achievement, it will not make Euler so famous.
Euler was not content to justify illusory theories on paper, he was a genius who was able to combine mathematical theory with practice, turning seemingly useless numbers into productivity.
(Euler's Ballistics)
Wave dynamics helped in the design of ships, plane surveying ensured precision and speed in construction, Euler's equations enabled fluid mechanics to study shock waves, and Euler's equations of motion laid the foundation for aerodynamics. Newton's problem of moon separation was also solved by Euler, and calculus took a big step forward under Euler's research.
The calculation process seems boring to others, but Euler is very interested in it. He was extremely good at mental and oral arithmetic, and no one knows how the mathematician did it.
At one time, two students performed the sum of infinite series, and on the 50th decimal place, the two had different results, and there was an argument, Euler did not say anything, but did mental arithmetic, and quickly gave the correct answer, which greatly shocked the students.
Euler's memory was also remarkable, and even in his later years, he was able to accurately recall all the notes of his youth, and he was able to recite Virgil's Aeneid from beginning to end without hesitation, even pointing out the first and last lines of each page of the original book he recited.
Writing a long essay was as easy as writing a letter for Euler, who wrote 886 books and essays during his lifetime, but unfortunately part of the manuscript that had been the result of Euler's efforts in the Great Fire of Petersburg in 1771 was reduced to ashes.
After his death, the Petersburg Academy of Sciences was busy for 47 years in order to organize his writings. In 1911, the Russian mathematical community published a collation of Euler's works, which consisted of 84 volumes and weighed up to 300 pounds.
Second, the noble character is admirable, the personality is easy-going and cherishes talents
However, contrary to what others might think, math geniuses are withdrawn and unsociable, Euler is good at management and has a kind personality. When he was assistant to the president of the Berlin Academy of Sciences, he did a very well-organized job, he loved music, he loved children, and he liked the atmosphere of his children and grandchildren around his knees when he worked.
What is even more admirable is that he does not keep his research results for himself, but regards them as knowledge that should be shared by the whole world, and he will carefully list all his derivation processes for students and future generations to study. This move greatly advanced the popularization of mathematical knowledge, which is not just the preserve of certain professionals. Rather, it has become knowledge that everyone can share.
This move also led modern mathematicians Gauss to praise that the best way to understand mathematics is to study Euler's writings.
(Gaussian)
In addition, Euler does not mind that the achievements of future generations surpass his own, and he is willing to help more future generations to achieve achievements in mathematics. Lagrange, a junior in mathematics, often wrote to Euler to discuss the isocytrial theorem in geometry, and Euler did not hesitate to share his thoughts and ideas.
Later, Euler was extremely appreciative of the young man's way of thinking and reconciliation, and he saw the young man's great potential, and even decided to press his paper and not publish it for the time being, but let Lagrange take the lead in publishing it. When asked why Euler was not the first to publish his article, Euler modestly said that his paper was not mature enough.
(Lagrangian)
At the time, this was equivalent to handing over the huge gains and reputation he could win to others, and Euler's unhesitation is enough to prove that this mathematician has a big mind and cherishes talents. It is no wonder that in his later years, all European mathematicians regarded Euler as their common teacher, and the French mathematician Laplace regarded Euler as his mentor.
During his 30 years in Russia, he founded the first school of mathematics in Russia, the Euler School, which cultivated a large number of Russian mathematical talents, who made outstanding contributions to the future development of Russia. Russia's achievements in the field of mathematics today are inseparable from this great mathematician.
However, despite the fact that most of Euler's writings were written in Russia, Euler was a patriot, and even though he later left Switzerland and traveled to many countries in search of development, he did not change his nationality until his death, never forgetting that he was Swiss.
So why did the Swiss-born mathematician settle in Russia?
3. The road to knowledge is not smooth, and life is endless
Euler's father was a pastor and wanted his son to follow in on his father's legacy. Euler followed his father's advice and entered the University of Basel at the age of 13 to Xi. Obtain an undergraduate degree within 2 years and a graduate degree within 1 year. But he majored in philosophy and law.
However, his interest in mathematics was Xi every Saturday afternoon with the European mathematician John Bernoulli, who saw the potential of his students and persuaded Euler's father to let his son study mathematics and recommended him to Russia to study with his two sons who worked at the Russian Royal Academy of Sciences.
(John Bernoulli)
However, life in Russia was not all smooth sailing. After Peter II succeeded to the throne, the aristocracy rejected these foreign scholars, and they constantly troubled them. Later, in 1741, in order to avoid war in Russia, Euler left Russia and came to Germany.
He lived in Berlin for 25 years and wrote 380 articles. However, the honest and steady Euler did not deal with the conceited Frederick II, and at this time, Catherine II threw an olive branch to Euler and hired Euler to return to Russia at a large price. From 1766 until his death in 1783, Euler lived in Russia.
(Catherine II)
However, his early experience in drawing a panoramic map of Russia had already caused Euler's eyesight to deteriorate, and he lost sight in his right eye in Germany and returned to Russia for 17 years. Ola was tragically blinded by cataracts. But he didn't give up, he chose to explore in the dark with oral and mental arithmetic, and let his eldest son record, and in this way, more than 400 papers were born in the dark.
Throughout Euler's life, his interest in mathematics led him to create one miracle after another, and he spent his life proving that mathematics is not useless, but can actually help people solve problems in life. Euler also showed us with practical actions that he never succumbed to fate, showing us the mind and perseverance of a mathematician.
(Euler's Tomb)
Resources:
Shao Hongneng.The great mathematical giant——Century Talent Euler[J].Friends of High School Students:College Entrance Examination Edition, 2019(9):2.