Mathematician:William Brouncker

Mathematician

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 misattribution by Euler is disputed.

Published on the arc length of the parabola and the cycloid.

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

Publications

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

Also known as

Full name and title: William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker

Sources

• John J. O'Connor and Edmund F. Robertson: "William Brouncker": MacTutor History of Mathematics archive

• 1986: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers ... (previous) ... (next): A List of Mathematicians in Chronological Sequence
• 1997: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): A List of Mathematicians in Chronological Sequence
• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Brouncker, William, Viscount (1620-85)
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Brouncker, William, Viscount (1620-85)