William Neile facts for kids

William Neile (born December 7, 1637 – died August 24, 1670) was a smart English mathematician. He was also one of the first members of a famous group called the Royal Society. He made a big discovery in math when he was only 19 years old. He figured out how to measure the exact length of a special curved line called a "semicubical parabola." This was a huge step forward in a field of math that later became known as calculus. Sometimes his name is spelled Neil.

William Neile's Life

William Neile was born in a place called Bishopsthorpe. His father, Sir Paul Neile, was a Member of Parliament. His grandfather, Richard Neile, was an important church leader, the Archbishop of York.

William went to Wadham College, Oxford in 1652. He was taught by famous scholars like John Wilkins and Seth Ward.

His Big Math Discovery

In 1657, William became a student at the Middle Temple. In the same year, he found an exact way to measure the length of the semicubical parabola. He shared his discovery with other smart people. These included William Brouncker and Christopher Wren.

His method was published by another mathematician, John Wallis, in a book called De Cycloide in 1659. This was a very important step in understanding how to measure curved lines. It helped develop what we now call calculus.

Joining the Royal Society

William Neile became a member of the Royal Society on January 7, 1663. This was a group of scientists and thinkers. He also joined their council in 1666.

He took part in discussions about how things move. He disagreed with some other members. He wanted to understand why things moved the way they did. He thought about ideas from a philosopher named Thomas Hobbes.

Astronomy and Later Life

William also loved looking at the stars. He used special tools on the roof of his father's house. This house was called "Hill House" in White Waltham.

He died there when he was only 32 years old. There is a white marble monument in the local church to remember him. He was also part of the Privy Council for King Charles II.