Jacopo Riccati facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacopo Riccati
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Jacopo Francesco Riccati (1676–1754)
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| Born | 28 May 1676 |
| Died | 15 April 1754 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Alma mater | University of Padua (LL.D., 1696) |
| Known for | Riccati equation |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematician |
| Notable students | Vincenzo Riccati |
| Influences | Stefano degli Angeli |
| Notes | |
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Father of Vincenzo Riccati and Giordano Riccati.
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Jacopo Francesco Riccati (born May 28, 1676 – died April 15, 1754) was an important mathematician and jurist (a legal expert) from Venice, which was then called the Venetian Republic. He is most famous for his work on a special type of math problem called the Riccati equation, which is named after him.
Early Life and Education
Jacopo Riccati was born into a noble family. His father, Conte Montino Riccati, owned land near Venice. His mother was from the powerful Colonna family. Jacopo's father passed away when Jacopo was just ten years old, leaving him a good amount of property.
Riccati first went to a Jesuit school in Brescia. In 1693, he started studying law at the University of Padua. He earned his law degree in 1696. However, his teacher, Stefano degli Angeli, encouraged him to study mathematical analysis. Riccati decided to follow this path.
Career as a Mathematician
Jacopo Riccati was a very talented mathematician. He received many offers for important jobs, but he turned them all down. He wanted to focus completely on studying mathematical analysis by himself.
For example, Peter the Great, the emperor of Russia, invited him to be the president of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. He was also asked to be an imperial advisor in Vienna. The University of Padua even offered him a job as a professor. But Riccati said no to all these offers.
He was often asked by the government of Venice (the Senate of Venice) for advice. They consulted him about building canals and dikes along rivers. This shows how much they trusted his knowledge.
Some of his work on complex math problems called multinomials was even included in a book by another famous mathematician, Maria Gaetana Agnesi. This was done at Riccati's own request.
Today, the Riccati equation, a specific type of math problem, is named after him because of his important studies.
Family and Legacy
Jacopo Riccati had two sons who also became famous in science:
- His son, Vincenzo Riccati, became a Jesuit priest. He followed in his father's footsteps and helped develop hyperbolic functions. These are special math functions used in many areas of science.
- Another son, Giordano Riccati, was the first to measure the ratio of Young's moduli of metals. This is a way to measure how stiff a material is. He did this 25 years before the more well-known scientist Thomas Young.
Honors
In 1723, Jacopo Riccati was given an honorary title. He was named an Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna. This was a great honor for his contributions to mathematics.
See also
In Spanish: Jacopo Francesco Riccati para niños
