John Pell (mathematician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Pell
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John Pell (1611–1685).
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| Born | 1 March 1611 Southwick, Sussex, England
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| Died | 12 December 1685 (aged 74) Westminster, Middlesex, England
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| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
| Known for | Pell's equation Pell number |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematician and linguist |
| Institutions | University of Amsterdam |
| Doctoral students | William Brereton |
| Influences | Henry Briggs |
John Pell (born March 1, 1611 – died December 12, 1685) was an English mathematician. He was also a political agent who worked for England in other countries. He is known for his work in algebra and for a special type of equation called Pell's equation.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Pell was born in Southwick, a town in Sussex, England. His father, also named John Pell, and his mother, Mary Holland, both passed away when he was very young. He became an orphan by the age of six. Luckily, his father had a large library, which was very helpful for young John as he grew up.
Pell went to Steyning Grammar School. At just 13 years old, he started studying at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was a very talented student. Even before he earned his first degree in 1629, he was already writing to famous mathematicians like Henry Briggs. He became a master of arts in 1630.
In 1632, John Pell married Ithamaria Reginald. They had eight children together, four sons and four daughters. Ithamaria passed away in 1661. Pell later remarried before 1669.
During the 1630s, Pell worked on many interesting projects. These included ideas about teaching, creating a universal language, and improving mathematical tables. In 1638, he published a short paper called Idea of Mathematics. This paper got attention from other mathematicians.
Academic and Diplomatic Roles
John Pell's excellent reputation helped him get a job. In 1644, he was chosen to be a professor of mathematics in Amsterdam. While there, he worked on a book called Controversy with Longomontanus concerning the Quadrature of the Circle. This book was about a debate over how to find the area of a circle.
In 1646, Pell moved to Breda to teach at the new Orange College. He taught there until 1652. He decided to return to England because he thought a war between England and the Dutch was coming. After he returned, Oliver Cromwell, who was the leader of England at the time, gave Pell a job teaching mathematics in London.
From 1654 to 1658, Pell worked as Cromwell's political agent in Zurich, Switzerland. His job was to represent England and work with the Swiss Protestant regions. Cromwell wanted to form a strong group of Protestant countries with England as the leader. Pell's negotiations took a long time. He returned to England just before Cromwell died.
Mathematical Discoveries
While in Switzerland, John Pell taught mathematics to a student named Johann Heinrich Rahn. Rahn is often given credit for inventing the division sign (÷). However, some people think Pell might have helped with this invention. Pell taught Rahn a special way to organize calculations using tables. This method appeared in Rahn's 1659 book, Teutsche Algebra.
Rahn's book also included a mathematical problem that later became famous as "Pell's equation". This equation looks like this:
- Failed to parse (Missing <code>texvc</code> executable. Please see math/README to configure.): ax^2+1=y^2
This problem was actually first suggested by Pierre de Fermat. Pell's name became linked to it because he helped publish the solutions found by other mathematicians in a later edition of Rahn's book in 1668. This new edition also included a lot of information about number theory. It also had an early list of factor tables, which are tables of numbers and their factors.
Later Life and Legacy
After returning to England, John Pell became a priest. In 1661, he became the rector of Fobbing in Essex. In 1663, he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. He was also chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a group of important scientists.
Pell's love for mathematics sometimes made it hard for him to focus on his church duties. He even faced financial difficulties at one point. He passed away in 1685 in London.
Many of Pell's writings and letters were saved. They are now kept in the British Library. These documents show his own ideas and his conversations with other mathematicians of his time.
John Pell's Key Works
Here are some of John Pell's most important writings:
- Astronomical History of Observations of Heavenly Motions and Appearances (1634)
- Ecliptica prognostica (1634)
- An Idea of Mathematicks (1638)
- Controversy with Longomontanus concerning the Quadrature of the Circle (1646?)
- A Table of Ten Thousand Square Numbers (1672)
The Idea of Mathematicks was a short but important paper. In it, Pell suggested three main things:
- A complete encyclopedia and list of mathematical books.
- A special library with math books and tools, supported by the government.
- A set of three math textbooks to teach anyone the latest mathematical knowledge.
The Pell Family in America
John Pell had a brother named Thomas Pell (1612/3–1669). Thomas was a doctor who moved to New England in the 1630s. In 1654, Thomas Pell made an agreement with the Siwanoy Native American tribe. This agreement gave him a large area of land, about 50,000 acres. This land included parts of what is now the Bronx and areas in Westchester County, New York.
Thomas Pell did not have any children. So, he left his land to his nephew, Sir John Pell (1643–1702). This nephew was one of the mathematician's four sons. He traveled from England to New York and became the first Lord of the Manor of Pelham.
Many of John Pell's descendants have become important people in American politics. These include Ambassador Herbert Pell and U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell. Another descendant, Stephen Hyatt Pell, helped restore Fort Ticonderoga in New York in 1909.
Another descendant, Morris Birkbeck Pell, became a top mathematics student at Cambridge University in 1849. He then moved to Australia in 1852. There, he became the first professor of mathematics at the University of Sydney.
See also
