James Ivory (mathematician) facts for kids

James Ivory (born February 17, 1765, died September 21, 1842) was a brilliant British mathematician. He is best known for developing something called the Ivory theorem. He was also a member of important groups like the Royal Society.

The Early Life of James Ivory

James Ivory was born in Dundee, Scotland. His father, also named James Ivory, was a famous watchmaker. The family lived and worked right on the High Street in Dundee.

He went to school at Dundee Grammar School. In 1779, when he was about 14, he started studying at the University of St Andrews. He was especially good at mathematics. After that, he studied theology, which is the study of religion. He spent two years at St Andrews and one year at Edinburgh University studying theology.

However, James decided not to become a church minister. In 1786, he became an assistant teacher. He taught mathematics and natural philosophy (which is like science) at the new Dundee Academy.

Three years later, he became a partner and manager in a company that spun flax. This company was in Douglastown, Forfarshire. Even though he was busy with the company, he still spent his free time studying mathematics. He taught himself a lot about math. He knew a lot about both old and new types of geometry. He also understood the new ways of solving math problems used by mathematicians in Europe.

James Ivory's Mathematical Work

James Ivory wrote his first important paper about how to measure the length of an ellipse. An ellipse is like a stretched circle. This paper was published in 1796. He also wrote papers about "Cubic Equations" in 1799 and "Kepler's Problem" in 1802. These papers showed he was very good at using algebraic formulas.

In 1804, the flax-spinning company he managed closed down. After that, he got a job teaching mathematics. He taught at the Royal Military College, Great Marlow, which later moved to Sandhurst. He worked there until 1816, when he had to stop because he wasn't feeling well. He was a very successful teacher during this time.

While teaching, he published several important papers. These papers helped him win the Copley Medal in 1814. This is a very important award for scientists. He was also chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1815.

One of his most important papers was about how gravity pulls on objects. He simplified a difficult problem about how a solid, egg-shaped object (called an ellipsoid) attracts something outside it. He showed that this problem could be solved by looking at a simpler case. This important idea is now known as Ivory's theorem.

He also helped publish a version of Euclid's Elements. This book made difficult math problems easier for regular people to understand. His later papers were about how light bends in the atmosphere (astronomical refractions). They also covered how planets move and how liquids stay balanced. He received another Royal Medal in 1826 and again in 1839 for his work on astronomical refractions.

Later Life and Recognition

In 1831, King William IV gave James Ivory a special pension of £300 each year. The King also made him a Knight of the Royal Guelphic Order. This was a great honor.

Besides being part of important science groups in Britain, he was also a member of science academies in Paris, Berlin, and Göttingen.

In 1839, the University of St Andrews gave him an honorary degree. He became a Doctor of Laws (LLD).

James Ivory passed away in Hampstead, north London, on September 21, 1842.

See also

• Eclipse
• Meridian arc
• Probability
• Proofs of Fermat's little theorem
• Rodrigues' formula