William S. Burnside facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William S. Burnside
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| Born | December 20, 1839 |
| Died | March 11, 1920 (aged 80) |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Alma mater | Trinity College Dublin |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Trinity College Dublin |
William Snow Burnside (born December 20, 1839 – died March 11, 1920) was an important Irish mathematician. He spent his whole working life at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), a famous university in Ireland.
People remember him mostly for a math book he wrote. He also held a special teaching job there for a long time. Sometimes, he is mixed up with another mathematician named William Burnside, who was English.
Contents
Who Was William Snow Burnside?
William Snow Burnside was born in a place called Corcreevy House. This was near Fivemiletown, Tyrone, in what is now Northern Ireland. His father was William Smyth Burnside, and his mother was Anne Henderson.
His Education and Career
William Burnside studied mathematics at Trinity College Dublin. He learned from a well-known mathematician named George Salmon. William earned several degrees from TCD, including his BA in 1861 and MA in 1866.
He became a Fellow of the college in 1871. This meant he was a senior member of the university. He taught at Trinity College Dublin until he retired in 1917.
A Special Professor
For many years, William Burnside held an important job. He was the Erasmus Smith's Professor of Mathematics from 1879 to 1913. This was a very respected teaching position at the university.
In 1891, Trinity College Dublin gave him an even higher degree, a DSc. This stands for Doctor of Science. It showed how much they valued his work.
His Famous Book
In 1881, William Burnside wrote an important math book. It was called The Theory of Equations: With an Introduction to the Theory of Binary Algebraic Forms. He wrote it with his friend and colleague, Arthur William Panton.
This book was very popular and was printed many times. It had at least seven editions. It was even re-released in 1960, showing its lasting importance.
Life at Trinity College
William Burnside lived close to the university campus. His home was on Raglan Road. People say he was the last person to regularly ride a horse to the college. This gives us a fun picture of life back then!
