Juan de Ortega (mathematician) facts for kids
Juan de Ortega was a Spanish mathematician. He was born around 1480 in Palencia, Spain. He passed away around 1568. Ortega wrote some of the first books about math for business. He also found a better way to figure out square roots.
Contents
Juan de Ortega's Life
We don't know much about Juan de Ortega's life. He was a member of a religious group called the Dominican Order. He lived in Aragon, a part of Spain. Ortega taught arithmetic (math with numbers) and geometry (math with shapes). He taught these subjects in both Spain and Italy.
His Contributions to Mathematics
Juan de Ortega's work on arithmetic was very important. He used ideas from earlier mathematicians. These included Boethius and other thinkers from the 1200s and 1300s.
Tratado subtilissimo
One of Ortega's most famous books was Tratado subtilissimo de Aritmetica y de Geometria. This means "Most refined book on arithmetic and geometry." It was first published in Barcelona in 1512. This book became very popular. It was printed in Spain, France, and Italy. It was also translated into many different languages.
The Tratado was special because it focused on practical math. It showed how to use arithmetic and geometry in real life. This was especially helpful for business. Later versions of this book also showed a new way to find square roots. This method was very good for its time. It was based on ideas related to the Pell equation.
Other Important Books
Ortega wrote another textbook called Cursus quattuor mathematicarum artium liberalium. This means "Course of four mathematical arts." It was published in Paris in 1516. He also wrote "Conpusicion de la arte de la arismetica y juntamente de geometría." This book also covered arithmetic and geometry.
See also
In Spanish: Juan de Ortega (matemático) para niños
