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Mathematical Treasure: Trigonometry of Benjamin Bramer

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

Benjamin Bramer (1588-1652) was a German mathematician, architect and instrument maker, who was the adopted son, student, and eventually brother-in-law of the Swiss mathematician and astronomer Jost Bürgi (1552-1632). Bramer is acknowledged as the inventor of the pantograph, a geometric instrument that can duplicate a given geometric shape to scale. In 1617, he published Trigonometria planorum mechanica, a work explaining and promoting his instruments.

Title page of Trigonometria planorum mechanica by Benjamin Bramer, 1617

The text begins by explaining how specific instruments work.

Page 11 of Trigonometria planorum mechanica by Benjamin Bramer, 1617

Illustrations demonstrate various measuring situations.

Page 21 of Trigonometria planorum mechanica by Benjamin Bramer, 1617

Page 25 of Trigonometria planorum mechanica by Benjamin Bramer, 1617

Page 30 of Trigonometria planorum mechanica by Benjamin Bramer, 1617

The images above are presented courtesy of ETH-Bibliothek Zürich and the work may be viewed in its entirety via e-rara.

Index to Mathematical Treasures

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: Trigonometry of Benjamin Bramer," Convergence (August 2018)