Mathematician:François Édouard Anatole Lucas

1842 - 1891

Full name: François Édouard Anatole Lucas.

French mathematician best known for his study of the Fibonacci numbers. As a result of his researches, discovered what are now known as the Lucas numbers.

In 1876, proved that the Mersenne number $$M_{127}$$ is prime, and discovered that $$M_{67}$$ is actually composite. Discovered a method of determining the primality of a Mersenne number. This technique was refined in the 1930's by Derrick Lehmer and became known as the Lucas-Lehmer Test.

Nationality
French

History

 * Born: April 4, 1842
 * Died: October 3, 1891

Theorems and Definitions

 * Lucas numbers
 * Lucas-Lehmer Test for Mersenne primes (with Derrick Lehmer)
 * Lucas prime
 * Gauss-Lucas Theorem
 * Lucas' Theorem

Books, Papers and Other Creations

 * "Recherches Sur Plusieurs Ouvrages De Léonard De Pise Et Sur Diverses Questions D’Arithmétique Supérieure" (1877)
 * "Théorie des nombres, Tome Premiere" (1891)
 * "Récréations mathématiques" (1894)
 * "L'arithmétique amusante" (1895)


 * The "Tower of Hanoi" puzzle