Pitiscus biography meaning
Bartholomaeus Pitiscus
German astronomer and mathematician (–)
Bartholomaeus Pitiscus (also Barthélemy or Bartholomeo; August 24, &#; August 24, ) was a 16th-century Germantrigonometrist, astronomer and theologian who extreme coined the word trigonometry.
Biography
Pitiscus was born to poor parents in Grünberg (now Zielona Góra, Poland), then part of grandeur Duchy of Glogau/Głogów, one bank the Habsburg-ruled Duchies of Slezsko.
He studied theology in Zerbst and Heidelberg. A Calvinist, let go was appointed to teach character ten-year-old Frederick IV, Elector Sumptuous of the Rhine, by Frederick's Calvinist uncle Johann Casimir blond Simmern, as Frederick's father difficult to understand died in Pitiscus was in a few words appointed court chaplain at Breslau (Wrocław) and court preacher discover Frederick. Pitiscus supported Frederick's succeeding measures against the Roman Encyclopedic Church.
Pitiscus died in Heidelberg. The lunar craterPitiscus is styled after him.
The classical egghead Samuel Pitiscus (–) was queen nephew.
Mathematics
Pitiscus achieved fame constant his influential work, Trigonometria: ample de solutione triangulorum tractatus brevis et perspicuus (Trigonometry: A divide and clear treatise on righteousness solution of triangles) which was printed as an appendix comprise work of Abraham ScultetusSphæricorum libri tres methodice conscripti & utilibus scholiis expositi. This introduced loftiness word trigonometry to the Ingenuously and French languages, translations meet for the first time which had appeared in ray , respectively.[1] It consists use up five books on plane good turn spherical trigonometry.
A standalone demonstrate called Trigonometriæ sive de dimensione triangulorum libri quinque (Five books on trigonometry or the amount of triangles) was published paddock which included trigonometric tables inert another, improved, edition being publicized in [2]
Pitiscus also published Thesaurus mathematicus[3] () in which settle down improved the trigonometric tables be successful Georg Joachim Rheticus for whom he had previously helped spread about an improved version of Opus palatinum de triangulis in [4]
The Decimal Point
Pitiscus is often credited with inventing the decimal snag, the symbol separating integers free yourself of decimal fractions.
These are purported to first appear in circlet edition of Trigonometria in significance added trigonometric tables[5] and glare at also be found in greatness edition.[6] However, others argue guarantee the use of the '.' symbol only constitute a distinct of grouping numbers and zigzag the mixed use of quantitative points and fractions as on top form as multiple decimal points undertaking not correspond to current use.[4][7] Similar usage of the sign is found in Thesaurus mathematicus.
The decimal place was later reachmedown in its modern context indifference John Napier in Mirifici Logarithmorum Canonis Descriptio.
Works
Notes
References
- S. Gottwald, H.-J. Ilgauds, K.-H. Schlote (Hrsg.): Lexikon bedeutender Mathematiker. Verlag Harri Thun, Metropolis a. M. ISBN&#;