Mathematical Treasure: Three Works by Simon Stevin

Author(s):

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University)

Simon Stevin (1548–1620) was a Dutch military engineer by profession, but he nurtured a variety of mathematical and scientific insights. Many of these insights were refined in his writings. Mathematically, he is best remembered for his popularization of the decimal notation system and concept. In 1585 he published La Thiende (The Tenth). This work was translated into English and published as Disme by Robert Norton in 1608. The Dutch National Library provides additional information on the various editions and translations of the book.

Title page of Robert Norton's 1608 translation of Stevin's work on decimals.

Stevin began with the necessary definitions, first for whole numbers:

First page of definitions in Disme, translated by Robert Norton in 1608.

Second page of definitions in Disme, translated by Robert Norton in 1608.

And then for decimals:

First page of decimal definitions in Disme, translated by Robert Norton in 1608.

Second page of decimal definitions in Disme, translated by Robert Norton in 1608.

A full digitization of the copy owned by the University of California is available at HathiTrust.

Simon Stevin was also an experimental physicist. From his studies of kinetics, he produced De Beghinselen Der Weeghconst (The Principles of Weighing) in 1586.

Title page from Simon Stevin's 1586 De beghinselen der weeghconst.

In analyzing the actions of a directed force, Stevin introduced the concept of a “triangle of forces”.

Pages 22-23 from Simon Stevin's 1586 De beghinselen der weeghconst.

Page 41 from Simon Stevin's 1586 De beghinselen der weeghconst.

These images are from the copy owned by the Dibner Library of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. Rights and reproduction information may be found here.

In Castrametatio Avraico-Nassovica, which was apparently published posthumously in 1631, Stevin wrote on the construction of military camps, including the design and use of barracks and fortifications:

Title page of Castrametatio Avraico-Nassovica, published in 1631 after Stevin's death.