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Mathematical Treasure: Johann Baptist Roppelt’s Geometria and Introdvctio in mathesin

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

Johann Baptist Roppelt (1744–1814) was a mathematician, cartographer and, possibly, a cleric in Bamberg. Several of his written works are still extant, particularly an elaborate illustrated manuscript prepared in 1772, Geometria theoretica et practica.

Title page for Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

The manuscript has a double frontispiece:

Double frontispiece for Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

The “eye of God” views the dedication “To our Creator . . . .”

Dedication for Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

The first page of the Preface:

Preface for Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

Definitions and classifications:

Definitions from Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

Table of definitions from Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

A discussion of the perpendicular:

Discussion of perpendicular from Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

Measurement theory and techniques are discussed:

Material on surveying in Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

Material on measurement from Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

Material on measurement from Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

The latter part of the manuscript considers the “Platonic solids.”

Platonic solids in Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1772 Geometria Theoretica et Practica.

Roppelt also prepared a general introduction to the mathematical sciences, the Introdvctio in mathesin qvarvmcvnqve scientiarvm cvltoribvs accommodata ad eivs qvoqve stvdium incitatoria of 1777.

Title page for Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1777 Introdvctio in mathesin.

The text begins with a listing of definitions:

Definitions from Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1777 Introdvctio in mathesin.

The author uses tables to show relationships:

Table from Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1777 Introdvctio in mathesin.

Table from Johann Baptist Roppelt's 1777 Introdvctio in mathesin.

The images above are provided courtesy of Bamberg State Library. Full digitizations of Geometria and Introdvctio in mathesin are available.

Index to Mathematical Treasures

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: Johann Baptist Roppelt’s Geometria and Introdvctio in mathesin," Convergence (April 2022)