Matthew Stewart (mathematician) facts for kids
Matthew Stewart (born 1717, died 1785) was a clever Scottish mathematician and a minister in the Church of Scotland. He was also a member of important groups like the Royal Society of Edinburgh and a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Matthew Stewart was born on January 15, 1717, in Rothesay, a town on the Isle of Bute in Scotland. His father, Dugald Stewart, was the local minister.
He went to Rothesay Grammar School. Later, in 1734, he started studying at the University of Glasgow. There, he learned from a famous philosopher named Francis Hutcheson. He also studied mathematics, especially old forms of geometry, with a mathematician named Robert Simson.
Friendship and Studies
Matthew Stewart and Robert Simson became good friends. They both really admired an ancient Greek mathematician named Pappus of Alexandria. They often wrote letters to each other about old geometry problems, like those from Apollonius of Perga and Euclid. Stewart even helped Simson with a book he was writing about Apollonius in 1743.
Becoming a Minister
Even though he loved mathematics, Matthew's father wanted him to become a minister, just like him. So, in 1742, Matthew went to Edinburgh University to study Divinity. He also kept attending maths classes there, taught by Colin Maclaurin.
In May 1744, he was approved to become a minister by the Church of Scotland. A year later, he started working as a minister in a place called Rosneath in Dumbartonshire.
Career as a Professor
In 1746, his former maths teacher, Colin Maclaurin, passed away. This left an open position for a Professor of Mathematics at Edinburgh University. Just over a year later, Matthew Stewart left his job as a minister to become the new Professor of Mathematics.
Important Discoveries
One of his most famous books, Some General Theorems of Considerable use in the Higher Parts of Mathematics, probably helped him get the professor job. This book built on ideas from his friend Robert Simson. It is best known for something called Stewart's theorem. This theorem helps you figure out measurements in a triangle when you draw an extra line from one corner.
Matthew Stewart also found a way to solve a problem about how planets move, known as Kepler's problem, in 1756. In 1761, he wrote a book about how planets move and how they affect each other. He added another part to this book in 1763, explaining the distance between the sun and Earth.
Later Years
By 1772, Matthew Stewart's health started to get worse. His son, Dugald Stewart, who later became a well-known Scottish philosopher, began to share his teaching duties. Eventually, his son took over completely. Matthew stopped teaching in 1775.
However, he still played an important role in Edinburgh. He was one of the people who helped start the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1783.
Family Life
Matthew Stewart married his cousin, Marjory Stewart.
He was the father of the famous philosopher Dugald Stewart. He was also the father-in-law of a doctor named Patrick Miller. His grandson was Colonel Matthew Stewart.
Freemasonry
Matthew Stewart was a Scottish Freemason. He joined a group called Lodge Canongate Kilwinning, No. 2, in 1735. His son, Dugald Stewart, also became a member of this same group later on.
Death and Burial
Matthew Stewart passed away on January 23, 1785, in Catrine, Ayrshire. He was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in central Edinburgh. At that time, it was hard to put gravestones up, so his grave does not have a marker.
See also
- Stewart's theorem
