greatest mathematician?

Answer 1

I would nominate three for this title: Gauss, Reimann, and Euler.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Friedrich_Gauss
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernhard_Riemann
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler

Answer 2

David Hilbert! He has to be the greatest mathematician of all time!

Geometry, number theory, mathematical physics, the foundations of mathematics-these are just some of the major areas he worked on, and his work always showed incredible imagination and great mathematical insight.

He had such great mathematical intution, and solved many difficult problems in surprisingly simple ways. Take "Gordan's problem" about invariants. Gordan had managed to prove that a finite basis existed for the simplest case, binary forms, by pure computation. When everyone else had tried to generalise this by the same computational method, they failed because of the sheer complexity of it all. Hilbert, however, instead of opting for the computational approach, was able to provide a non-constructive proof of the finite basis in just a few lines. He had the intuition and insight to approach the problem from a totally different direction. Incidentally, later on, he did manage to give a constructive proof too.

He also gave a speech at the International Congress of Mathematicians, where he outlined the 23 problems that would shape the mathematics of the new (20th) century, which inspired other mathematicians to produce some fantastic work too! Indeed, his work opened up whole new areas for other mathematicians to explore.

Answer 3

Leonhard Euler (pronounced 'Oiler')

"Euler is considered to be the preeminent mathematician of the 18th century and one of the greatest of all time; he is also listed on the Guinness Book of Records as the most prolific, with collected works filling between 60 and 80 quarto volumes."

Answer 4

Most surveys of mathematics place Carl Friedrich Gauss #1, Leonhard Euler #2, and at least a four-way tie for #3. Although Euler published far more, you could argue that he had an open field to play in - there was SO MUCH math still waiting to be discovered when he was alive. If Euler hadn't been there first, other less able people could probably have repeated most of his discoveries. Gauss published much less, but it was much deeper.

Answer 5

Euler
Euler systematized mathematics by introducing the symbols e , i , and f(x) for f a function of x. He also made major contributions in optics, mechanics, electricity, and magnetism. He made significant contributions to the study of differential equations. His Introducio in analysin infinitorum (1748) provided the foundations of analysis. He showed that any complex number to a complex power can be written as a complex number, and investigated the beta and gamma functions. He computed the Riemann zeta function to for even numbers.

Answer 6

Apres mois? probably Kurt Godel..for proving most general theory of maths. Evariste Galois?- a gr8 myth! fair play-nice group theory an polynomials and that..but his aim was poor..not a big shot! Newton? not gr8..needed someone else for centripetal equations to establish K's laws. Einstein was same- needed maths homework help for equations for gen relativity. And yon ruskie guy with his topology and 3-manifold connectivity..take him any day! (btw have marvelous proof of goldenbach's conjecture..but margin's too small 2 write in!)

Answer 7

Descartes invented the box for others to think outof....Keplar with the most basic telescopes worked out the exact elipses of the planets to prove gallileo right.. Gravity hadn't been invented then and the previous solar model was too wrong to even start with.. Keplar died in a mental establishment while working on a theory of the 'music of the spheres' where vibration in the planets etc causes harmony or discord depending etc....this of course is the essentials of string theory (i think)...Decartes was a womanising drunk who stayed in bed all day..I like him....

Answer 8

Alan Turing

Answer 9

Isaac Newton

Answer 10

Gauss or Euler the fathers of modern maths

Answer 11

Ganitha Methai Mr. Ramanujam (Indian)