Mathematician:William Brouncker

William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker was an English mathematician best known for Brouncker's Formula, an expansion for pi in the form of a generalized continued fraction.

Popularly believed to have been the first European to provide the solution to what is known as Pell's Equation, but the supposition that its name was a misattibution by Euler is disputed.

Improved on William Neile's computation of the arc length of the semicubical parabola $a y^2 = x^3$. Received an unfavourable personal reputation, in part through being criticized by Samuel Pepys in his diary, probably through being confused with his less popular brother Henry. Because of this, many believe he has been historically underrated.

Nationality
English

History

 * Born: c. 1620, Castlelyons (N of Cork), Ireland (possibly, nobody knows for certain)
 * c. 1636: Entered Oxford University to study mathematics, languages and medicine
 * 1645: Succeeded his father to become Second Viscount Brouncker of Castle Lyons
 * 23 February 1647: Received degree of Doctor of Medicine from Oxford University
 * 1650's: Became involved with a group of scientists who met in Gresham College London
 * 1660: Elected as Member of Parliament for Westbury
 * 28 November 1660: Inauguration of the Society for the Promoting of Physico-Mathematical Experimental Learning (later Royal Society)
 * 1662: Became Chancellor to Queen Catherine, then chief of Saint Catherine's Hospital
 * 15 July 1662: Nominated as first President of the Royal Society of London
 * 1664: Appointed one of the Commissioners of the Navy
 * Died: 5 April 1684, Westminster. London, England

Theorems and Definitions

 * Brouncker's Formula

Books and Papers

 * 1653: An English translation of Renati Descartes Musicae Compendium (René Descartes' Musical Compendium) to which he added sufficient extra material to double its size.