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Mathematical Treasure: Fernel’s De proportionibus

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

Jean Fernel (1497-1558) was a French physician who was responsible for inventing the term physiology, the study of the functions of the human body. He was also interested in astronomy and mathematics. His work on the theory of ratio and proportion, De proportionibus, was published in 1528.

The image above was obtained through the courtesy of the University of California Libraries. Fernel’s De proportionibus may be viewed in its entirety in the Internet Archive. The images below of the Index, or table of contents, are from a copy of the same book held by and presented here courtesy of the Columbia University Libraries, George Arthur Plimpton Collection.

Below: Title page from the George Arthur Plimpton Collection, Columbia University Library, copy

Index to Mathematical Treasures

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: Fernel’s De proportionibus," Convergence (July 2017)