Charlotte Wedell facts for kids

Charlotte Bolette Sophie, Baroness Wedell-Wedellsborg (born January 27, 1862 – died July 22, 1953) was an important mathematician. She was one of only four women who attended the very first International Congress of Mathematicians. This big meeting for mathematicians happened in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1897.

Wedell came from Denmark. Her father was Vilhelm Ferdinand, Baron Wedell-Wedellsborg, and her mother was Louise Marie Sophie, Countess Schulin. Her family was part of the noble Wedel family.

A Pioneer in Mathematics

At the time of the 1897 congress, Charlotte Wedell had just finished her doctorate degree. A doctorate is a very high university degree, like a PhD. She earned it from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. A famous mathematician named Adolf Hurwitz helped her with her studies.

What Was Her Research About?

Charlotte Wedell's main research was about something called elliptic functions. These are special types of mathematical functions. She used them to help build Malfatti circles. These circles are a famous geometry problem where you try to fit three circles inside a triangle so that each circle touches the other two and two sides of the triangle.

Women at the Congress

When she attended the congress, Charlotte Wedell was listed as being connected to the University of Göttingen. She was one of only four women there. The other three women were Iginia Massarini, Vera von Schiff, and Charlotte Scott. It's interesting to note that none of these women gave a speech at this first congress. It wasn't until 1912 that a woman finally spoke at the International Congress of Mathematicians. This shows how rare it was for women to be recognized in mathematics back then.

Later Life

Charlotte Wedell married an engineer named Eugène Tomasini in Copenhagen in 1898.