Andrew Mackay (mathematician) facts for kids

Dr. Andrew Mackay (1760–1809) was a clever Scottish mathematician and astronomer. He was especially known for teaching people how to navigate ships using the stars and math.

Andrew Mackay's Life

Andrew Mackay lived in Aberdeen, a city in Scotland. In October 1781, he became the unpaid keeper of the observatory on Castle Hill. An observatory is a place with telescopes for watching the stars. There, he carefully figured out the latitude and longitude of Aberdeen. Latitude and longitude are like invisible lines on a map that help you find exact locations.

In 1786, Aberdeen University gave him an honorary doctorate degree. This was a special award for his achievements. Later, in 1793, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a group of important scientists and thinkers.

He was also a special member of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle-on-Tyne. He worked as a math examiner for Trinity House from 1805 to 1809. Trinity House is an organization that helps keep ships safe around England. He also examined for the East India Company, a big trading company.

Later in his life, Mackay taught students at his home in London. He taught subjects like mathematics, natural philosophy (which is like science), navigation, and how to design buildings and machines.

Andrew Mackay passed away in London on August 3, 1809. He was buried in Allhallows Churchyard.

Andrew Mackay's Important Works

Andrew Mackay made big contributions to how we understand navigation. He also created many useful mathematical tables. His most important books include:

• The Theory and Practice of finding the Longitude at Sea or on Land (1793): This two-volume book explained how to find a ship's exact location at sea or on land. It also showed how to figure out the time using observations. Mackay received thanks from navigation boards in England and France for this work.
• A Collection of Mathematical Tables (1804): This book was full of useful math tables that helped with calculations.
• The Complete Navigator (1804): This book was a guide for navigators. In its introduction, Mackay shared his thoughts on other navigation books used at the time.

He also wrote other helpful works, such as:

• Description and Use of the Sliding Rule (1799): This explained how to use a sliding rule, a tool for quick calculations.
• The Commencement of the Nineteenth Century (1800): In this paper, he explained that the 19th century started on January 1, 1800, not 1801.
• Description and Use of the Sliding Gunter in Navigation (1802): This described another tool used in navigation.

Mackay also wrote articles for famous encyclopedias. He contributed to the Encyclopædia Britannica, third edition (1797) on topics like "Navigation," "Shipbuilding," and "Tactics." He also wrote for Rees's Cyclopædia. He published a paper about the latitude and longitude of Aberdeen in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.