Abraham Fraenkel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abraham Fraenkel
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Fraenkel in the 1940s
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| Born | February 17, 1891 Munich, Bavaria
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| Died | October 15, 1965 (aged 74) Jerusalem, Israel
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| Nationality | Israeli |
| Alma mater | University of Marburg |
| Known for | Zermelo–Fraenkel axioms |
| Awards | Israel Prize (1956) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
| Doctoral advisor | Kurt Hensel |
Abraham Fraenkel (Hebrew: אברהם הלוי (אדולף) פרנקל) was a German-born Israeli mathematician. He was born on February 17, 1891, and passed away on October 15, 1965.
Fraenkel was an early supporter of Zionism. This was a movement that aimed to create and support a Jewish homeland. He also became the first Dean of Mathematics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is famous for his important work in axiomatic set theory. This is a way of building mathematics using a clear set of rules or "axioms." His additions to the ideas of another mathematician, Ernst Zermelo, led to what is now called the Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory.
Contents
About Abraham Fraenkel
Early Life and Education
Abraham Adolf Halevi Fraenkel studied mathematics at several universities. These included the University of Munich, Berlin, Marburg, and Breslau. After finishing his studies, he started teaching at the University of Marburg in 1916. He became a full professor there in 1922.
In 1919, he married Wilhelmina Malka A. Prins. For a few years, they lived with Professor Kurt Hensel. This was because there was a big housing shortage in Germany after World War I.
Moving to Jerusalem
In 1928, Fraenkel left Marburg and taught at the University of Kiel for one year. He then made a big decision. He chose to accept a job at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This university had only been founded four years earlier.
Fraenkel spent the rest of his career in Jerusalem. He became the first head of the mathematics department. For some time, he also served as the Rector (like a president) of the university.
Involvement in the Jewish Community
Fraenkel was a strong supporter of Zionism. He was a member of the Jewish National Council. He also belonged to the Jewish Assembly of Representatives. These groups worked under the British rule at the time.
He was also part of the Mizrachi group. This was a religious part of Zionism. They supported Jewish religious education and schools. They also believed that the Chief Rabbinate should have authority over marriage and divorce.
Fraenkel's Work in Mathematics
Early Mathematical Studies
Fraenkel's first work was on p-adic numbers. These are special kinds of numbers used in advanced mathematics. He also worked on the theory of rings. Rings are important structures in algebra.
Contributions to Set Theory
Fraenkel is most famous for his work on axiomatic set theory. This area of mathematics deals with collections of objects, called "sets." It tries to define them using a small number of basic rules or axioms.
He published his first major book on this topic in 1919. It was called Einleitung in die Mengenlehre (Introduction to set theory). In 1922 and 1925, he published papers that aimed to improve Ernst Zermelo's system of axioms. The result of his work is known as the Zermelo–Fraenkel axioms. These axioms are now the most common way to define set theory.
Fraenkel also studied the history of mathematics. He wrote about the works of Carl Friedrich Gauss in algebra. He also published a biography of Georg Cantor, another important mathematician. After retiring from the Hebrew University, Fraenkel continued teaching at the Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan.
Awards
- In 1956, Fraenkel received the Israel Prize. This is one of the highest honors in Israel. He won it for his work in exact sciences, especially mathematics.
See also
In Spanish: Abraham Fraenkel para niños
- List of Israel Prize recipients
- Fränkel
