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On This Day

  • 2-28-1552

    Joost Burgi born in Lichtensteig, Switzerland. He invented logarithms independently of Napier and was "the most skilful instrument maker of his day" (O'Connor and Robertson, MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive).

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    Jost Burgi
    Burgi's invention of logarithms

  • 2-28-1735

    Vandermonde, of determinant fame, born in Paris, France. A violinist, he wrote on both music theory and mathematics.

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    Alexander-Theophile Vandermonde

  • 2-28-1859

    Birthdate of Florian Cajori, historian of mathematics and mathematics educator, who wrote, "The best review of arithmetic consists in the study of algebra" (O'Connor and Robertson, MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive). Born in Switzerland, he spent most of his life in the U.S.

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    Florian Cajori