Miles Bland facts for kids

Miles Bland (born October 11, 1786 – died December 27, 1867) was an important English church leader and a brilliant mathematician. He spent his life studying and teaching math, and he wrote several popular schoolbooks.

Miles Bland's Life

Miles Bland went to St John's College, Cambridge, which is a famous university. He finished his studies in 1808. He was a very talented math student, coming in second place in a special math competition. He also won a special award called the Smith's Prize for his math skills.

After graduating, Miles Bland became a "fellow" at his college. This meant he was a senior member who helped run the college. He also became a "tutor," teaching students. He helped create math exams for the university between 1814 and 1818.

In 1823, Miles Bland became the rector of Lilley, Hertfordshire. A rector is a leader in a church. In 1826, he also became a prebendary of Wells Cathedral. This was another important role in the church. He earned a special degree called D.D. (Doctor of Divinity) that same year.

Miles Bland was also a member of several important groups for smart people. He was a fellow of the Royal Society, which is a group for scientists. He was also a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, a group for people who study history. And he was a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, which is for people who study stars and space. He passed away on December 27, 1867, in Ramsgate, Kent.

Miles Bland's Books

Miles Bland wrote several important books, mostly about mathematics. These books were often used in schools and universities.

• Geometrical Problems: This book was about geometry. It included problems based on the first six books of Euclid, a famous ancient Greek mathematician. It also taught about plane trigonometry, which is a part of math dealing with triangles. The first edition came out in 1819.
• Algebraical Problems: This was a very popular schoolbook about algebra. It was first published in 1812 and had many updated versions, with the ninth edition coming out in 1849.
• The Elements of Hydrostatics: This book, published in 1824, was about hydrostatics. This is the study of how liquids behave when they are at rest.
• Annotations on the Historical Books of the New Testament: Miles Bland also wrote books about the Bible. These two volumes, published in 1828, gave notes and explanations for the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark.
• Mechanical and Philosophical Problems: This book, published in 1830, covered problems related to mechanics and philosophy.