Charles Hermite
- Born:
- December 24, 1822, Dieuze, France
- Died:
- January 14, 1901, Paris, France
- Nationality:
- French
- Profession(s):
- Mathematician
Early Life and Education
- Born in Dieuze, Moselle, France.
- Suffered from a physical disability that affected his leg.
- Educated at the Collège Henri IV and Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris.
- Entered the École Polytechnique but was dismissed due to his inability to attend physical training; however, he continued to pursue mathematics independently.
- Obtained his baccalaureate degree in 1842.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began teaching at the Collège Henri IV and the Lycée Louis-le-Grand.
- Appointed professor at the École Polytechnique in 1848, a position he held until 1876.
- Became a professor at the Sorbonne in 1869.
- Elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 1856.
- Made significant contributions to number theory, algebra, and analysis.
- Proved that the mathematical constant e is transcendental in 1873.
- Worked on elliptic functions, quadratic forms, and the theory of equations.
- Mentored several prominent mathematicians, including Henri Poincaré.
Notable Works
- Cours d'Analyse de l'École Polytechnique (1897)
- His collected works were published posthumously in four volumes.
- Contributions to the theory of modular functions.
- Work on interpolation and quadrature formulas.
Legacy and Impact
Charles Hermite was a highly influential mathematician of the 19th century, whose research had a profound impact on several branches of mathematics. His proof of the transcendence of e was a landmark achievement. As an educator, he inspired generations of mathematicians, solidifying his legacy as one of the great figures in mathematics.
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