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Mathematical Treasure: French Academy Report of 1693

Author(s): 
Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University)

The French Royal Academy of Sciences was established in 1666 by Louis XIV to encourage and protect French research in the sciences. The Academy’s journal/report for the year 1693, titled Divers Ouvrages de Mathematique et de Physique, is examined below.

Title page for 1693 volume published by the French Academy of Sciences.

The listing of contributions in the “Table of Contents” reveals the work of several notable mathematicians: de Frenicle, Roberval, Torricelli, and Mersenne.

Table of contents from 1693 volume published by French Academy of Sciences.

An entry on page 230 discusses the cycloid.

Page 230 from 1693 volume published by French Academy of Sciences.

On pages 322-323, Mersenne discussed the construction of a hyperbola given its corresponding set of asymptotes.

Page 322 from 1693 volume published by French Academy of Sciences.

Page 323 from 1693 volume published by French Academy of Sciences.

The images above are presented courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania Libraries.

Index to Mathematical Treasures

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: French Academy Report of 1693," Convergence (August 2016)