Ferdinand Joachimsthal facts for kids
Ferdinand Joachimsthal was a German mathematician. He was born on March 9, 1818, in Goldberg, a town in Silesia (which is now Złotoryja, Poland). He passed away on April 5, 1861, in Breslau (which is now Wrocław, Poland).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ferdinand Joachimsthal studied hard and earned his Ph.D. degree in Berlin in 1842. This was a very important step in his academic journey.
Career as a Mathematician
Right after finishing his studies in 1842, Joachimsthal started working as a teacher. He taught at a Realschule in Berlin. A Realschule was a type of school that focused on practical subjects, including mathematics and science.
University Work
In 1846, he joined the university in Berlin. He became a privatdozent, which meant he was a university lecturer who could teach classes but wasn't a full professor yet. He continued to share his knowledge and research.
Later, his career progressed further:
- In 1856, he became a full professor of mathematics at the University of Halle.
- In 1858, he moved to Breslau and became a professor there as well.
Mathematical Contributions
Ferdinand Joachimsthal was a dedicated mathematician. He wrote many important articles and essays about his mathematical discoveries.
Published Works
He contributed to famous mathematical journals of his time:
- Crelle's Journal: He published essays in this journal in 1846, 1850, 1854, and 1861.
- Torquem's Nouvelles Annales des Mathématiques: He also shared his work in this publication.
Key Discoveries
Joachimsthal is especially remembered for two important ideas in mathematics:
- Joachimsthal's Equation: This is a specific mathematical formula.
- Joachimsthal Notation: This is a way of writing mathematical expressions.
Both of these are used when studying conic sections. Conic sections are special shapes like circles, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas, which you can get by slicing a cone in different ways.
