The First Female Mathematician Mathematics has always been described as the purest science and considered as one of the most important aspects in many countries around the world, especially developed countries. Theoretically, the most significant requirements for a life of a mathematician is the mathematical ability. Nevertheless, very few women get involve in this field, which creates a myth, and slowly develops into a stereotype in society, that women are naturally not good at math. However, many people would be surprised, that “the world’s greatest living mathematician for a time was a women” (Deakin 13). Hypatia of Alexandria was, indeed, a physically beautiful woman who used her talent and intelligence to defy the stereotypes against …show more content…
She enjoyed the life that her father laid out for her and tried to live up to his expectation. Moreover, Hypatia was independent, passionate, and fearless. Her intelligence and knowledge exceeds many women, and even men, at that time. In addition, Hypatia was also good at physically activities such as rowing, swimming, horseback riding, and mountain climbing. Theon did everything in order to achieve his goal of producing a perfect human being, and his daughter had not disappointed him. According to Charlene Morrow and Teri Perl, “When Hypatia quickly surpassed even her own father’s mathematical knowledge, he sent her to Athens to study because it was known to be the mathematics center of the world” (94). After finished her studies in Athens, Hypatia spent about ten years traveling around Europe with the passion to gain more knowledge about the …show more content…
Hypatia of Alexandria, unfortunately, met a tragic end. Before going into the story of her death, it is important to go back and examine the reasons behind it. According to Costa Giovanni in her journal Hypatia, the Daughter of Theon, when Christian took root in Alexandria, Egypt, in A.D. 390, frequent battles and riots broke out between those of opposing religions. Hypatia was a Neoplantonist, which encourage logical reasoning rather than taking anything on blind faith. As a result, with her exceptional level of knowledge and dignity, Hypatia became a center of all attention. In reality, “many believed that Hypatia was such a great influence that Christianity would not survive as long as she was alive” (Morrow and Perl
Cleopatra is famously known as the beautiful female Egyptian pharaoh with great physical beauty and seductive skills. That is pretty much all what people know, but there is actually more to it. Cleopatra is one of the most famous female rulers in history. She was the last pharaoh of Egypt who ruled areas including Cyrus, Egypt, part of Libya, and other territories in the Middle East. The history of Cleopatra is well-known for what had happened before and during her reign, and her relationship with Caesar and Mark Anthony.
It is often assumed by historians that Germain may have witnessed many discussions by her father and his friends on topics such as politics and philosophy (Ornes). Perhaps her interest in mathematics began to blossom around this time as well, considering Germain first began her studies around the age of 13. Germain was first motivated to learn more about mathematics after reading about the death of Archimedes in the hands of a Roman soldier. She was moved by the story and decided that she would become a mathematician. However, considering it was extremely taboo during this time period for a woman to even dream of become interested in such an intellectual subject, Germain received an immense amount of resentment from her family. Her parents threatened to take her blankets and heat away from her if she studied mathematics, and so, by the light of a very discrete candle, Germain would be up late at night teaching herself Latin and Greek and studying mathematics from her father’s books (“Sophie Germain”). Indeed, Germain had discovered that being a girl did not mean that she could not study the same things that boys the same age as her were studying, and she did not believe that she was confined to the barriers of society in the realm of
The Story of Hylas and Nymphs is the small part of the myth of Jason and the Argonauts searching for the Golden Fleece . John William Waterhouse has taken the afflatus from this classical tales of love and tragedy. In this masterpiece , We can see seven nymphs gazed at Hylas in a white water-lily pond. The myth is as follows.
A female African-American mathematician who contributed to mathematics was Janice E. Cook. Her birth and death date is unknown, however, she was born in New Orleans. She is one of seven children of Florence L. Cook and Henry Cook. Growing up, she admired her mother, who was an elementary teacher, describing her as an inspirational and heroic person in her life. After Janice completed her studies for the bachelor and masters degree she began a professional career in the corporate arena, however, she wasn’t satisfied. She later realized her true passion was in teaching mathematics as a teacher at the middle and high school levels. Once she determined her true educational passion in life, she continued her studies and gained her pre-doctoral
The family in the house entrusts her with their secrets, such as when Telemachus plans for his journey to Pylos to find information of his father. When in the cellar, he confides to Eurycleia, “But swear that you will say nothing about all this to mother, till I have been away some ten or twelve days, unless she hears of my having gone.” (2: 130-3) She keeps his secret until his return with Odysseus. Eurycleia is also the first woman to recognize him while bathing his feet.
Athena, the greek goddess of Wisdom, the daughter of Zeus, the most powerful god and of the Sky. She looked out for Odysseus throughout his journey home to Ithaca from Troy. On his trip home, as told by fate, Odysseus lost all of his crew members and barely made it home to his loyal wife, Penelope, who had been avoiding her suitors who had infested her home for years now as they prayed for Odysseus to never return home or for word of his death, and son,
“She was the one who captured two of the greatest Romans of her day, and completely destroyed herself because of the third.” Cleopatra was born in Alexandria, Egypt in the year of 69 B.C. into the Ptolemaic dynasty. When she stepped up to become ruler alongside her brothers. Together, they controlled the whole eastern Mediterranean Coast. She ruled for twenty two years, and in that time she made enemies and also got many Roman men with her imperial ambitions and motives. At the same time though, the dynasty was quickly diminishing. Although she was the last Ptolemaic ruler, she was one of the Egyptians most influential and remembered rulers. As a ruler, she was mostly described as ruthless, yet intelligent, educated and wise. During her time, she also was lovers with Mark Antony, Julius Caesar and many other men. Her full story
Cleopatra VII Cleopatra VII, better known as just Cleopatra, was the last Pharaoh to rule Egypt during the Ptolemaic Dynasty, which was the last dynasty of Egypt. She is renowned throughout history as being a lover of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, two of the most famous Romans in history. Cleopatra was not just a pretty face; she was cunning, brave and smart, having fought in several wars and using her wiles to gain allies and power, as well as being well educated. A combination of these elements are what makes Cleopatra one of the most renowned and recognised Egyptian Pharaoh in history. Cleopatra was the last of the Ptolemaic Dynasty to rule Egypt; the last Pharaoh ever to rule Egypt before the Romans officially conquered it in 30
Geometry and Algebra are so crucial to the development of the world it is taught to every public high school in the United States, around 14.8 million teenagers each year (National Center for Education Statistics). Mathematics is the engine powering our world; our stocks, economy, technology, and science are all based off from math. Math is our universal and definite language “I was especially delighted with the mathematics, on account of the certitude and evidence of their reasonings.” (Rene Descartes, 1637).
She was a descendant of the greek Ptolemy I who was a friend of Alexander the Great, who had conquered Egypt a few centuries before her time, and was a general in Alexander’s army (Hawass 2010:16). Upon the death of Alexander the Great Ptolemy I took control of Egypt and started the Ptolemaic dynasty (Hawass 2010:16). Cleopatra VII, was born in 69 B.C.; she was the second daughter and child of Ptolemy XII, who had five legitimate children in all (Roller 2010:3). During the first few years of Cleopatra VII’s life marked a fairly quiet time in the reign of her father; but during this time he gave an extensive amount of money to Roman leaders as a payment for their support of his leadership and help in controlling the Egyptian people (Roller 2010:18-21). Ptolemy XII began taking loans from a Roman banker to help support this habit, and imposed heavy taxes on his people which caused a revolt and strike of farmers. Despite all this influx of revenue Ptolemy continued to spend exorbitant amounts on both gifts for Roman leaders and for his own lavish tastes, feeding his debts to Rome (Roller and Roller 2010:21). Due to the unrest of the now starving people in Egypt of that time, and the fact that Ptolemy XII let his brother Ptolemy of Cyprus fall, watching silently as Cyprus became a Roman territory, there was an uprising in 58 B.C. (Roller 2010:22). So Ptolemy XII escaped Egypt and the revolt of his people by fleeing
Cleopatra was the third daughter of Ptolemy XII and it believed she had 3 sisters and 2 younger brothers. Both of Cleopatras brothers ruled Egypt with Cleopatra and also married her - keeping with the Egyptian religion. Both her brothers - Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV - had early deaths. Cleopatra
Hyacinthus was a mortal in Greek mythology. Many names are given in the various myths as his parents; they include King Pierus of Macedon, or King Oebalus of Sparta, or King Amyclas of Sparta; and Clio. He was a beautiful young man who became the lover of the god Apollo, although he also had the affection of Zephyr, the god of the west wind. During a game of discus, Apollo threw the discus, and Hyacinthus ran after it trying to impress the god. However, he was struck by the discus and died. According to a different myth, it was Zephyrus who caused the death of the young man; jealous of his affair with Apollo he blew the discus to Hyacinthus' head, killing him. Apollo, distraught at the youth's death,
Hephaestus was born from only Hera and he was born once Hera realized that Zeus had raised up Athena, she planned to raise Hephaestus up. Once Hephaestus was born, Hera threw him off Mount Olympus because she realized that he was crippled. Once he was thrown of Mt. Olympus, Thetis and Eurynome rescued him. After growing up, Hephaestus became a master
Hypatia was Greek; however she was born in Alexandria, Egypt around 370 A. D. Born in a magnificent Egyptian city that was the center of learning and knowledge. In a city that was founded by the Greek hero Alexander the great. While traveling abroad in Athens, Greece, Hypatia attended a school where she established her fame as a mathematician. On returning to Alexandria, she was asked to teach mathematics and philosophy at the same institute as her father. Hypatia’s father Theon, a noted Greek mathematician and astronomer, refused to impose upon his daughter the traditional role assigned to a woman and raised her as one who would have raised a son in the Greek tradition; by teaching her his own trade. During a time when women were considered less than human, such an idea was indeed revolutionary. Hypatia was in love with the various questions of life; her father and the area of Alexandria were both major factors in the sharping of her scholarly awareness. Hypatia is a great 4th century Greek Mathematician she was one of the
Hypatia’s most well-known improvements to science and astronomy include her re-inventing of the hydrometer and charting of the stars. In mathematics, she is most notable for her contributions to working on different conic sections.Simply by dividing cones in different ways on a plane, she was able to develop the idea of different graphs and shapes such as parabolas, ellipses, and hyperbolas. Her understanding of the conic sections lead her to be one of the key contributors to the invention of the astrolabe as well (Morrow 1998). Christianity became extremely popular in Alexandria during the time when Hypatia lived there along with many riots breaking out. She was a pagan and known for defending science against any form of religion. She was mercilessly killed by an angry mob who accused her of religious turmoil. Although she died a horrible death of being stripped of her skin and limbs, her legacy lived and still lives. Mathematics was thriving in Athens, so that is where her students eagerly fled to. Although, many of her works that were stored in the library of Alexandria were destroyed by an Arab invasion. Hypatia is an important symbol for many generations and will always be considered to be the first woman in mathematics.