Leonhard Euler (pronounced "Oiler") (1707-1783) was a
Swiss mathematician who made contributions to fields
as diverse as calculus, topology, mechanics, optics
and astronomy. He is also credited with inventing
GraphTheory.
He was involved in work to solve the greatest problem
of the age - the Longitude problem - and is regarded by
some as the most prolific mathematician ever to have
lived.
Others dispute that, pointing instead at Paul Erdos, but
while Erdos published more papers, Euler published more
pages. Pierre-Simon Laplace said: "Read Euler, read Euler,
he is a master for us all."
One of the Famous People on this site.
Further reading
You can read more on Wikipedia and on the MacTutor History of Mathematics archive:
There is also this excellent article by Robin Wilson in "Plus" magazine.
See also the Wikipedia article:
Footnote
Euler is also a Ph.D. supervisor ancestor of ColinWright,
something of which Colin is simultaneously proud, and
embarrassed, which is an interesting trick. There is
more information here:
(He is also a supervisory ancestor of GarethMcCaughan, another contributor here.)
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