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Brook TaylorEnglish mathematician
Date of Birth: 18.08.1685
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Brook Taylor: Mathematician and Scholar
Early Life and EducationBrook Taylor, an English mathematician, was born in Kent on August 18, 1685. In 1701, he matriculated at St John's College, Cambridge, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1709 and his LL.D. five years later.
Mathematical Pursuits
Alongside his academic studies, Taylor independently pursued mathematics. His first paper, on the centre of oscillation, appeared in Philosophical Transactions in 1708. Subsequent papers covered diverse topics such as projectile motion, magnet interactions, capillary phenomena, and adhesion between fluids and solids. Notably, he demonstrated that the cross-section of a liquid surface between two vertical plates tilted at a small angle is a hyperbola.
Notable Works
Taylor's mathematical legacy includes his treatise "New principle of linear perspective" and the major work "Methodus incrementorum directa et inversa." In the latter, he derived his famous formula and developed a theory of vibrating strings. This theory anticipated the findings of D'Alembert and Lagrange. Taylor also made significant contributions to the mathematical understanding of astronomical refraction in the atmosphere.
Later Years and Legacy
Towards the end of his life, Taylor delved into religious and philosophical studies. He passed away on November 30, 1731, at the age of 46. His mathematical works continue to be studied and applied, leaving a lasting mark on the field.
