How Old Was Newton When He Invented Calculus

How Old Was Newton When He Invented Calculus? Unraveling the Myth of Instantaneous Genius

The name Isaac Newton conjures images of gravity-defying apples and groundbreaking scientific discoveries. But how much do we truly understand about the man and the painstaking process behind his achievements? Many believe Newton simply invented calculus in a single stroke of genius. The reality, however, is far more nuanced and fascinating. This post dives deep into the timeline of Newton's development of calculus, dispelling common misconceptions and revealing the years of dedicated work that culminated in one of history's most significant mathematical advancements. We'll explore not just when he made his breakthroughs, but also how his age and life experiences influenced his groundbreaking work. Prepare to unravel the myth of instantaneous genius and discover the true story behind Newton and calculus.

The Early Years: Seeds of a Mathematical Revolution (1643-1665)

Isaac Newton was born prematurely on January 4, 1643, a rather frail child. His early education wasn't exceptionally remarkable, though he showed a keen interest in mechanics and mathematics. It wasn't until he entered Trinity College, Cambridge in 1661 at the age of 18, that his mathematical talent truly began to flourish. He immersed himself in the works of leading mathematicians of his time, absorbing concepts and laying the groundwork for his future innovations. It's crucial to note that during this period, he wasn't consciously "inventing" calculus; rather, he was building the necessary foundational knowledge. This foundational period, spanning from his teenage years to his mid-twenties, was crucial to his later breakthroughs.

The Plague Years and the Genesis of Calculus (1665-1667)

The years 1665-1667 marked a pivotal period in Newton's life, and arguably, in the history of mathematics. The Great Plague forced the closure of Cambridge University, sending Newton back to his family home in Woolsthorpe Manor. This period, often referred to as his "annus mirabilis" (miracle year), wasn't a single year but rather a period of intense intellectual activity. While isolated, he made significant advancements in optics, mechanics, and crucially, calculus. He developed the fundamental concepts of fluxions (his term for what we now call derivatives) and inverse fluxions (integrals), laying the foundation for what would become infinitesimal calculus. He was approximately 22-24 years old during this transformative period. It's important to remember that this wasn't a sudden epiphany but rather the culmination of years of study and intense intellectual engagement.

Refining the Calculus: A Decade of Development (1667-1676)

Newton didn't simply stop after his initial breakthroughs. The following decade saw him refining his calculus techniques, applying them to various problems in physics and geometry. He didn't publish his work extensively during this period, preferring to keep his methods confidential. This was a time of intense intellectual exploration and refinement, pushing the boundaries of his initial discoveries. During these years (ages 24-33), he consolidated his understanding, addressed limitations, and expanded the scope of his calculus. He wasn't just inventing; he was meticulously building a robust and comprehensive mathematical framework.

The Publication and the Priority Dispute (1687 onwards)

Newton’s Principia Mathematica, published in 1687 when he was 44 years old, finally showcased his advancements in calculus, although it used a geometrical approach rather than the more direct algebraic notation he’d developed earlier. This publication catapulted him to international fame, but it also ignited a bitter priority dispute with Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who had independently developed a similar system of calculus. This dispute, which lasted for decades, clouded the narrative of Newton's development of calculus, obscuring the gradual, iterative process that underpinned his achievement. The focus shifted towards a battle for credit rather than an appreciation of the profound mathematical advancements.

Debunking the Myth: It Wasn't an "Invention" at a Specific Age

The narrative of Newton inventing calculus at a specific age is a simplification. It was a gradual process spanning many years. While the crucial breakthroughs occurred during his isolation in the late 1660s, when he was in his early twenties, the full development and refinement of calculus continued for decades afterward. Attributing its invention to a single age misrepresents the dedication, persistence, and continuous refinement that characterized Newton's mathematical journey.

The Significance of Newton's Age and Life Circumstances

Newton's age played a vital role in his development of calculus. His youth provided him with the time, energy, and intellectual curiosity necessary to dedicate himself fully to mathematical exploration. The forced isolation during the plague years proved serendipitous, allowing for uninterrupted, focused work. His later years saw him refine and consolidate his ideas, further demonstrating the importance of age and experience in the evolution of his groundbreaking work.

Conclusion: A Gradual Process, Not a Sudden Invention

In conclusion, the question "How old was Newton when he invented calculus?" is misleading. It wasn't a singular event at a specific age but a process of gradual development, refinement, and application that spanned a significant portion of his life. While his early to mid-twenties saw crucial breakthroughs, the full development and the later application of calculus took decades of tireless effort. Understanding this nuanced timeline allows us to better appreciate the depth and complexity of Newton's genius, moving beyond the simplified narrative of an instantaneous invention.

Article Outline: How Old Was Newton When He Invented Calculus?

Introduction: Hooking the reader and providing an overview of the article's content.
Chapter 1: The Early Years: Newton's early life and education, highlighting the groundwork laid for his future achievements.
Chapter 2: The Plague Years and the Genesis of Calculus: Detailing Newton's breakthroughs during his time at Woolsthorpe Manor.
Chapter 3: Refining the Calculus: Exploring the subsequent decade of development and refinement of his calculus techniques.
Chapter 4: Publication and the Priority Dispute: Discussing the publication of Newton's work and the controversy surrounding it.
Chapter 5: Debunking the Myth: Addressing the misconception of a sudden invention at a specific age.
Chapter 6: The Significance of Newton's Age and Life Circumstances: Analyzing the role of age and life experiences in shaping Newton's work.
Chapter 7: Conclusion: Summarizing the key findings and reiterating the gradual nature of Newton's development of calculus.
FAQs: Addressing frequently asked questions about Newton and calculus.


(Detailed explanation of each chapter is provided above in the main article body.)

FAQs

1. Did Newton invent calculus alone? No, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz independently developed a similar system of calculus around the same time, leading to a lengthy priority dispute.

2. What was Newton's primary motivation for developing calculus? Solving problems in physics, particularly those related to motion and gravity.

3. What notation did Newton use for calculus? Initially, he used his own unique notation, "fluxions," later replaced by the Leibnizian notation which is more widely used today.

4. How did the plague years affect Newton's work? The forced isolation allowed for uninterrupted periods of intense study and led to significant breakthroughs.

5. When was Newton's work on calculus first published? Though he developed his methods earlier, his work was presented more fully in the Principia Mathematica in 1687.

6. What are the main components of Newton's calculus? The concepts of fluxions (derivatives) and inverse fluxions (integrals).

7. How did Newton's calculus differ from Leibniz's? While both achieved similar results, their notation and approaches differed significantly.

8. What is the significance of Newton's development of calculus? It revolutionized mathematics and physics, providing a powerful tool for solving complex problems.

9. How did Newton's age and experience influence his work on calculus? His youth provided the time and energy for initial breakthroughs, while later experience led to refinement and application.

Related Articles

1. Newton's Laws of Motion: A Deep Dive: Exploring the fundamental principles of Newtonian mechanics and their relationship to calculus.

2. The Principia Mathematica: A Summary: A concise overview of Newton's masterpiece and its significance in scientific history.

3. The Leibniz-Newton Calculus Dispute: A Detailed Analysis: A comprehensive examination of the historical controversy surrounding the invention of calculus.

4. Calculus in Physics: Applications and Examples: Showcasing the practical applications of calculus in various areas of physics.

5. Isaac Newton's Life and Legacy: A Biographical Overview: Exploring the life and lasting contributions of this influential scientist.

6. Infinitesimal Calculus: A Beginner's Guide: An introduction to the basic concepts and techniques of infinitesimal calculus.

7. The History of Calculus: From Ancient Greece to Modern Applications: A historical overview of the evolution of calculus from its earliest roots to modern times.

8. Differential Equations: Solving Real-World Problems with Calculus: Examining the role of calculus in solving differential equations.

9. Integral Calculus: Applications and Techniques: A detailed exploration of integral calculus and its diverse applications in various fields.


  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Isaac Newton's Scientific Method William L. Harper, 2011-12-08 Includes bibliographical references (p. [397]-410) and index.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Analysis Per Quantitatum Series, Fluxiones, Ac Differentias Isaac Newton, 1711
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Sir Isaac Newton's Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy and His System of the World Sir Isaac Newton, 2023-11-15 This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1934.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Encyclopaedia Britannica Hugh Chisholm, 1910 This eleventh edition was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time and it is considered to be a landmark encyclopaedia for scholarship and literary style.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: A Portrait Of Isaac Newton Frank E. Manuel, 1990-03-21
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: The Newton Papers Sarah Dry, 2014-04-11 When Isaac Newton died in 1727 without a will, he left behind a wealth of papers that, when examined, gave his followers and his family a deep sense of unease. Some of what they contained was wildly heretical and alchemically obsessed, hinting at a Newton altogether stranger and less palatable than the one enshrined in Westminster Abbey as the paragon of English rationality. These manuscripts had the potential to undermine not merely Newton's reputation, but that of the scientific method he embodied. They were immediately suppressed as unfit to be printed, and, aside from brief, troubling glimpses spread across centuries, the papers would remain hidden from sight for more than seven generations. In The Newton Papers, Sarah Dry illuminates the tangled history of these private writings over the course of nearly three hundred years, from the long span of Newton's own life into the present day. The writings, on subjects ranging from secret alchemical formulas to impassioned rejections of the Holy Trinity, would eventually come to light as they moved through the hands of relatives, collectors, and scholars. The story of their disappearance, dispersal, and rediscovery is populated by a diverse cast of characters who pursued and possessed the papers, from economist John Maynard Keynes to controversial Jewish Biblical scholar Abraham Yahuda. Dry's captivating narrative moves between these varied personalities, depicting how, as they chased the image of Newton through the thickets of his various obsessions, these men became obsessed themselves with the allure of defining the true Newton. Dry skillfully accounts for the ways with which Newton's pursuers have approached his papers over centuries. Ultimately, The Newton Papers shows how Newton has been made and re-made throughout history by those seeking to reconcile the cosmic contradictions of an extraordinarily complex man.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Newton and the Counterfeiter Thomas Levenson, 2010-04-12 A “thoroughly surprising” chapter in the life of Isaac Newton, with a “vivid re-creation of 17th-century London and its fascinating criminal haunts” (Providence Journal). When renowned scientist Isaac Newton takes up the post of Warden of His Majesty’s Mint in London, another kind of genius—a preternaturally gifted counterfeiter named William Chaloner—has already taken up residence in the city, rising quickly in an unruly, competitive underworld. In the courts and streets of London, and amid the tremors of a world being transformed by ideas Newton himself set in motion, Chaloner crosses paths with the formidable new warden. An epic game of cat and mouse ensues in Newton and the Counterfeiter, revealing for the first time the “remarkable and true tale of the only criminal investigator who was far, far brainier than even Sherlock Holmes: Sir Isaac Newton during his tenure as Warden of the Royal Mint . . . A fascinating saga” (Walter Isaacson). “I absolutely loved Newton and the Counterfeiter. Deft, witty and exhaustively researched.” —Junot Díaz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao “A delicious read, featuring brilliant detective work and a captivating story . . . A virtuoso performance.” —Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind “Through a page-turning narrative, we witness Isaac Newton’s genius grappling with the darker sides of human nature, an all too human journey reflecting his deepest beliefs about the cosmic order.” —Brian Greene, author of The Fabric of the Cosmos “Levenson transforms inflation and metallurgy into a suspenseful detective story bolstered by an eloquent summary of Newtonian physics and stomach-turning descriptions of prison life in the Tower of London. . . . [The book] humanizes a legend, transforming him into a Sherlock Holmes in pursuit of his own private Moriarty.” —The Washington Post
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer Michael White, 2012-02-20 First time in ebook format, this biography of Isaac Newton reveals the extraordinary influence that the study of alchemy had on the greatest Early Modern scientific discoveries. In this ‘ground breaking biography’ Michael White destroys the myths of the life of Isaac Newton and reveals a portrait of the scientist as the last sorcerer.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Principia Mathematica Alfred North Whitehead, Bertrand Russell, 1927 The Principia Mathematica has long been recognised as one of the intellectual landmarks of the century.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: The Calculus Wars Jason Socrates Bardi, 2009-04-29 Now regarded as the bane of many college students' existence, calculus was one of the most important mathematical innovations of the seventeenth century. But a dispute over its discovery sewed the seeds of discontent between two of the greatest scientific giants of all time -- Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Today Newton and Leibniz are generally considered the twin independent inventors of calculus, and they are both credited with giving mathematics its greatest push forward since the time of the Greeks. Had they known each other under different circumstances, they might have been friends. But in their own lifetimes, the joint glory of calculus was not enough for either and each declared war against the other, openly and in secret. This long and bitter dispute has been swept under the carpet by historians -- perhaps because it reveals Newton and Leibniz in their worst light -- but The Calculus Wars tells the full story in narrative form for the first time. This vibrant and gripping scientific potboiler ultimately exposes how these twin mathematical giants were brilliant, proud, at times mad and, in the end, completely human.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Heterodoxy in Early Modern Science and Religion John Hedley Brooke, Ian Maclean, 2023 Looking at the relationship between science and religion from a new angle, this text illuminates issues in philosophy and theology. This collection of essays offers new insights by focusing on both familiar and less familiar thinkers, in different European countries.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Famous Men of Science Sarah Knowles Bolton, 1889
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Isaac Newton Kathleen Krull, 2008-10-16 What was Isaac Newton like? Secretive, vindictive, withdrawn, obsessive, and, oh, yes, brilliant. His imagination was so large that, just by thinking on it, he invented calculus and figured out the scientific explanation of gravity.Yet Newton was so small-minded that he set out to destroy other scientists who dared question his findings. Here is a compelling portrait of Newton, contradictions and all, that places him against the backdrop of 17th-century England, a time of plague, the Great Fire of London, and two revolutions.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: A Short Account of the History of Mathematics Walter William Rouse Ball, 1908
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: The Crest of the Peacock George Gheverghese Joseph, 1992
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Isaac Newton James Gleick, 2007-12-18 Isaac Newton was born in a stone farmhouse in 1642, fatherless and unwanted by his mother. When he died in London in 1727 he was so renowned he was given a state funeral—an unheard-of honor for a subject whose achievements were in the realm of the intellect. During the years he was an irascible presence at Trinity College, Cambridge, Newton imagined properties of nature and gave them names—mass, gravity, velocity—things our science now takes for granted. Inspired by Aristotle, spurred on by Galileo’s discoveries and the philosophy of Descartes, Newton grasped the intangible and dared to take its measure, a leap of the mind unparalleled in his generation. James Gleick, the author of Chaos and Genius, and one of the most acclaimed science writers of his generation, brings the reader into Newton’s reclusive life and provides startlingly clear explanations of the concepts that changed forever our perception of bodies, rest, and motion—ideas so basic to the twenty-first century, it can truly be said: We are all Newtonians.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Infinitesimal Amir Alexander, 2014-07-03 On August 10, 1632, five leading Jesuits convened in a sombre Roman palazzo to pass judgment on a simple idea: that a continuous line is composed of distinct and limitlessly tiny parts. The doctrine would become the foundation of calculus, but on that fateful day the judges ruled that it was forbidden. With the stroke of a pen they set off a war for the soul of the modern world. Amir Alexander takes us from the bloody religious strife of the sixteenth century to the battlefields of the English civil war and the fierce confrontations between leading thinkers like Galileo and Hobbes. The legitimacy of popes and kings, as well as our modern beliefs in human liberty and progressive science, hung in the balance; the answer hinged on the infinitesimal. Pulsing with drama and excitement, Infinitesimal will forever change the way you look at a simple line.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Never at Rest Richard S. Westfall, 1983-04-29 This richly detailed 1981 biography captures both the personal life and the scientific career of Isaac Newton, presenting a fully rounded picture of Newton the man, the scientist, the philosopher, the theologian, and the public figure. Professor Westfall treats all aspects of Newton's career, but his account centres on a full description of Newton's achievements in science. Thus the core of the work describes the development of the calculus, the experimentation that altered the direction of the science of optics, and especially the investigations in celestial dynamics that led to the law of universal gravitation.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: A First Course in Calculus Serge Lang, 2012-09-17 This fifth edition of Lang's book covers all the topics traditionally taught in the first-year calculus sequence. Divided into five parts, each section of A FIRST COURSE IN CALCULUS contains examples and applications relating to the topic covered. In addition, the rear of the book contains detailed solutions to a large number of the exercises, allowing them to be used as worked-out examples -- one of the main improvements over previous editions.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Newton and the Origin of Civilization Jed Z. Buchwald, Mordechai Feingold, 2013 Reveals the manner in which Newton strove for nearly half a century to rectify universal history by reading ancient texts through the lens of astronomy, and to create a tight theoretical system for interpreting the evolution of civilization on the basis of population dynamics
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: A treatise of fluxions Colin MacLaurin, 1742
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Carl Friedrich Gauss G. Waldo Dunnington, Jeremy Gray, Fritz-Egbert Dohse, 2004-10-14 Classic biography of Gauss, updated with new introduction, bibliography and new material.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: The Clockwork Universe Edward Dolnick, 2011-02-08 New York Times bestselling author Edward Dolnick brings to light the true story of one of the most pivotal moments in modern intellectual history—when a group of strange, tormented geniuses invented science as we know it, and remade our understanding of the world. Dolnick’s earth-changing story of Isaac Newton, the Royal Society, and the birth of modern science is at once an entertaining romp through the annals of academic history, in the vein of Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything, and a captivating exploration of a defining time for scientific progress, in the tradition of Richard Holmes’ The Age of Wonder.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Huygens and Barrow, Newton and Hooke Vladimir I. Arnold, 2012-12-06 Translated from the Russian by E.J.F. Primrose Remarkable little book. -SIAM REVIEW V.I. Arnold, who is renowned for his lively style, retraces the beginnings of mathematical analysis and theoretical physics in the works (and the intrigues!) of the great scientists of the 17th century. Some of Huygens' and Newton's ideas. several centuries ahead of their time, were developed only recently. The author follows the link between their inception and the breakthroughs in contemporary mathematics and physics. The book provides present-day generalizations of Newton's theorems on the elliptical shape of orbits and on the transcendence of abelian integrals; it offers a brief review of the theory of regular and chaotic movement in celestial mechanics, including the problem of ports in the distribution of smaller planets and a discussion of the structure of planetary rings.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Isaac Newton on Mathematical Certainty and Method Niccolo Guicciardini, 2011-08-19 An analysis of Newton's mathematical work, from early discoveries to mature reflections, and a discussion of Newton's views on the role and nature of mathematics. Historians of mathematics have devoted considerable attention to Isaac Newton's work on algebra, series, fluxions, quadratures, and geometry. In Isaac Newton on Mathematical Certainty and Method, Niccolò Guicciardini examines a critical aspect of Newton's work that has not been tightly connected to Newton's actual practice: his philosophy of mathematics. Newton aimed to inject certainty into natural philosophy by deploying mathematical reasoning (titling his main work The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy most probably to highlight a stark contrast to Descartes's Principles of Philosophy). To that end he paid concerted attention to method, particularly in relation to the issue of certainty, participating in contemporary debates on the subject and elaborating his own answers. Guicciardini shows how Newton carefully positioned himself against two giants in the “common” and “new” analysis, Descartes and Leibniz. Although his work was in many ways disconnected from the traditions of Greek geometry, Newton portrayed himself as antiquity's legitimate heir, thereby distancing himself from the moderns. Guicciardini reconstructs Newton's own method by extracting it from his concrete practice and not solely by examining his broader statements about such matters. He examines the full range of Newton's works, from his early treatises on series and fluxions to the late writings, which were produced in direct opposition to Leibniz. The complex interactions between Newton's understanding of method and his mathematical work then reveal themselves through Guicciardini's careful analysis of selected examples. Isaac Newton on Mathematical Certainty and Method uncovers what mathematics was for Newton, and what being a mathematician meant to him.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Galileo Unbound David D. Nolte, 2018-07-12 Galileo Unbound traces the journey that brought us from Galileo's law of free fall to today's geneticists measuring evolutionary drift, entangled quantum particles moving among many worlds, and our lives as trajectories traversing a health space with thousands of dimensions. Remarkably, common themes persist that predict the evolution of species as readily as the orbits of planets or the collapse of stars into black holes. This book tells the history of spaces of expanding dimension and increasing abstraction and how they continue today to give new insight into the physics of complex systems. Galileo published the first modern law of motion, the Law of Fall, that was ideal and simple, laying the foundation upon which Newton built the first theory of dynamics. Early in the twentieth century, geometry became the cause of motion rather than the result when Einstein envisioned the fabric of space-time warped by mass and energy, forcing light rays to bend past the Sun. Possibly more radical was Feynman's dilemma of quantum particles taking all paths at once — setting the stage for the modern fields of quantum field theory and quantum computing. Yet as concepts of motion have evolved, one thing has remained constant, the need to track ever more complex changes and to capture their essence, to find patterns in the chaos as we try to predict and control our world.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Mathematics for Economists Malcolm Pemberton, Nicholas Rau, 2001 This innovative text for undergraduates provides a thorough and self-contained treatment of all the mathematics commonly taught in honours degree economics courses. It is suitable for use with students with and without A level mathematics.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Newton the Alchemist William R. Newman, 2018-12-11 A book that finally demystifies Newton’s experiments in alchemy When Isaac Newton’s alchemical papers surfaced at a Sotheby’s auction in 1936, the quantity and seeming incoherence of the manuscripts were shocking. No longer the exemplar of Enlightenment rationality, the legendary physicist suddenly became “the last of the magicians.” Newton the Alchemist unlocks the secrets of Newton’s alchemical quest, providing a radically new understanding of the uncommon genius who probed nature at its deepest levels in pursuit of empirical knowledge. In this evocative and superbly written book, William Newman blends in-depth analysis of newly available texts with laboratory replications of Newton’s actual experiments in alchemy. He does not justify Newton’s alchemical research as part of a religious search for God in the physical world, nor does he argue that Newton studied alchemy to learn about gravitational attraction. Newman traces the evolution of Newton’s alchemical ideas and practices over a span of more than three decades, showing how they proved fruitful in diverse scientific fields. A precise experimenter in the realm of “chymistry,” Newton put the riddles of alchemy to the test in his lab. He also used ideas drawn from the alchemical texts to great effect in his optical experimentation. In his hands, alchemy was a tool for attaining the material benefits associated with the philosopher’s stone and an instrument for acquiring scientific knowledge of the most sophisticated kind. Newton the Alchemist provides rare insights into a man who was neither Enlightenment rationalist nor irrational magus, but rather an alchemist who sought through experiment and empiricism to alter nature at its very heart.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: The Life of Isaac Newton Richard S. Westfall, 2015-09-29 Isaac Newton was indisputably one of the greatest scientists in history. His achievements in mathematics and physics marked the culmination of the movement that brought modern science into being. Richard Westfall's biography captures in engaging detail both his private life and scientific career, presenting a complex picture of Newton the man, and as scientist, philosopher, theologian, alchemist, public figure, President of the Royal Society, and Warden of the Royal Mint. An abridged version of his magisterial study Never at Rest (Cambridge, 1980), this concise biography makes Westfall's highly acclaimed portrait of Newton newly accessible to general readers.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: The Method of Fluxions And Infinite Series Isaac Newton, John Colson, 1736
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Universal Arithmetick: Or, a Treatise of Arithmetical Composition and Resolution Isaac Newton, 1728
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Geometrical Lectures of Isaac Barrow Isaac Barrow, 2008-12-01 English mathematician ISAAC BARROW (1630-1677), one of the inventors of calculus, had a profound impact on his student, Isaac Newton. Here, in this 1916 volume, British historian of mathematics JAMES MARK CHILD translates from the original Latin Barrow's masterpiece, Lectiones Opticae et Geometricae, his lectures on mathematics, demonstrating Barrow's essential role in the development of the higher math. Complete with Child's comprehensive introduction to Barrow's life and notes and discussion on his work, this new edition of an important but hard-to-find book will intrigue students of the history of science and math lovers alike,
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: The Archimedes Palimpsest Reviel Netz, William Noel, Nigel Wilson, Natalie Tchernetska, 2011-11-24 The Archimedes Palimpsest is the name given to a Byzantine prayer-book which was written over a number of earlier manuscripts. This volume provides colour images and transcriptions of three of the texts recovered from it. Pride of place goes to the treatises of Archimedes, including the only Greek version of Floating Bodies, and the unique copies of Method and Stomachion. This transcription provides many different readings from those made by Heiberg from what he termed Codex C in his edition of the works of Archimedes of 1910-1915. Secondly, fragments of two previously unattested speeches by the Athenian orator Hyperides, which are the only Hyperides texts ever to have been found in a codex. Thirdly, a fragment from an otherwise unknown commentary on Aristotle's Categories. In each case advanced image-processing techniques have been used to create the images, in order to make the text underneath legible.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Who Discovered What When Arron Wood, David Ellyard, 2005 You need no specialised knowledge of science to find interest and value in this unique book. The author's grasp of all spheres of science is so firm that he can explain complex ideas with startling clarity. Each chapter covers a half-century, and the pithy 200-300 word stories are arranged chronologically.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: The Archimedes Codex Reviel Netz, William Noel, 2009-03-12 At a Christie's auction in October 1998, a battered medieval manuscript sold for two million dollars to an anonymous bidder, who then turned it over to the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore for further study. The manuscript was a palimpsest-a book made from an earlier codex whose script had been scraped off and the pages used again. Behind the script of the thirteenth-century monk's prayer book, the palimpsest revealed the faint writing of a much older, tenth-century manuscript. Part archaeological detective story, part science, and part history, The Archimedes Codex tells the extraordinary story of this lost manuscript, from its tenth-century creation in Constantinople to the auction block at Christie's, and how a team of scholars used the latest imaging technology to reveal and decipher the original text. What they found was the earliest surviving manuscript by Archimedes (287 b.c.-212 b.c.), the greatest mathematician of antiquity-a manuscript that revealed, for the first time, the full range of his mathematical genius, which was two thousand years ahead of modern science.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Calculus Gilbert Strang, Edwin Prine Herman, 2016-03-07 Published by OpenStax College, Calculus is designed for the typical two- or three-semester general calculus course, incorporating innovative features to enhance student learning. The book guides students through the core concepts of calculus and helps them understand how those concepts apply to their lives and the world around them. Due to the comprehensive nature of the material, we are offering the book in three volumes for flexibility and efficiency. Volume 2 covers integration, differential equations, sequences and series, and parametric equations and polar coordinates.--BC Campus website.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Isaac Newton ,
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Isaac Newton Sydney Srinivas, 2019-01-12
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: The Man Who Found Time Jack Repcheck, 2008-12-15 There are three men whose contributions helped free science from the straitjacket of theology. Two of the three-Nicolaus Copernicus and Charles Darwin-are widely known and heralded for their breakthroughs. The third, James Hutton, never received the same recognition, yet he profoundly changed our understanding of the earth and its dynamic forces. Hutton proved that the earth was likely millions of years old rather than the biblically determined six thousand, and that it was continuously being shaped and re-shaped by myriad everyday forces rather than one cataclysmic event. In this expertly crafted narrative, Jack Repcheck tells the remarkable story of this Scottish gentleman farmer and how his simple observations on his small tract of land led him to a theory that was in direct confrontation with the Bible and that also provided the scientific proof that would spark Darwin's theory of evolution. It is also the story of Scotland and the Scottish Enlightenment, which brought together some of the greatest thinkers of the age, from David Hume and Adam Smith to James Watt and Erasmus Darwin. Finally, it is a story about the power of the written word. Repcheck argues that Hutton's work was lost to history because he could not describe his findings in graceful and readable prose. (Unlike Darwin's Origin of the Species, Hutton's one and only book was impenetrable.) A marvelous narrative about a little-known man and the science he founded, The Man Who Found Time is also a parable about the power of books to shape the history of ideas.
  how old was newton when he invented calculus: Fields of Color Rodney A Brooks, 2010-12-14 Fields of Color explains Quantum Field Theory to a lay audience without equations. It shows how this often overlooked theory resolves the weirdness of Quantum Mechanics and the paradoxes of Relativity. The third edition contains a new solution to the measurement problem (the most controversial problem in physics today) and shows the quantum basis for Einstein's famous E = mc2.