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Erik Ivar Fredholm
Fredholm 2.jpeg
Erik Ivar Fredholm
Born 7 April 1866
Died 17 August 1927 (1927-08-18) (aged 61)
Mörby (near Stockholm)
Nationality Swedish
Known for Analytic Fredholm theorem
Fredholm alternative
Fredholm determinant
Fredholm equation
Fredholm kernel
Fredholm module
Fredholm operator
Fredholm solvability
Fredholm's theorem
Fredholm theory
Resolvent formalism
Awards Björkénska priset (1910)
Scientific career
Fields Mathematics
Doctoral advisor Gösta Mittag-Leffler
Doctoral students Carl-Gustaf Rossby
Nils Zeilon

Erik Ivar Fredholm (born April 7, 1866 – died August 17, 1927) was a famous Swedish mathematician. He did important work on integral equations and operator theory. His ideas helped set the stage for later mathematical concepts like Hilbert spaces.

About Erik Ivar Fredholm

Erik Ivar Fredholm was born in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1866. He grew up to become a very important figure in mathematics.

His Education and Career

Fredholm studied at Uppsala University. He earned his PhD in 1898. His main teacher and guide was a well-known mathematician named Gösta Mittag-Leffler.

After finishing his studies, Fredholm worked at Stockholm University. He started as a "docent" in 1898. This is like a senior lecturer or assistant professor. Later, in 1906, he became a full professor. He taught and researched there until he passed away.

Work Outside the University

Besides his university job, Fredholm also used his math skills in other places. In 1902, he joined the Swedish Social Insurance Agency when it was first created.

From 1904 to 1927, he also worked as an actuary at an insurance company called Skandia. An actuary is someone who uses math to figure out risks and prices for insurance. At Skandia, Fredholm used his own mathematical ideas, including the "Fredholm equation," to calculate "buyback-prices." This is the amount of money you get back if you cancel an insurance policy early.

In 1914, he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. This is a very respected group of scientists. In 1922, he also became a foreign member of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters.

His Family Life

In 1911, Erik Fredholm married Agnes Maria Liljeblad. She was the secretary for his former teacher, Gösta Mittag-Leffler.

Fredholm's Mathematical Discoveries

Erik Fredholm is best known for his work on a type of math problem called integral equations. He introduced and studied these equations in the early 1900s. Today, they are known as Fredholm equations.

His research led to a whole new area of math called Fredholm theory. As part of this, he developed something called Fredholm determinants. He also proved several important mathematical statements, which are now known as the Fredholm theorems. These discoveries were very important for the field of mathematics.

Honours and Recognition

Fredholm received many honours for his important work.

He was a member of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters. He was also a member of the Accademia dei Lincei, a famous Italian scientific academy. In 1908, he was given the Poncelet Prize for his mathematical achievements.

To honour his contributions, a lunar crater on the Moon is named Fredholm. Also, an asteroid, 21659 Fredholm, is named after him.

See also

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