Person: Horner, William George
William Horner was an English mathematician best known for his method of solving algebraic equations.
Mathematical Profile (Excerpt):
- John Wesley, a founder of Methodism, encouraged William Horner senior to come to England and join the Methodist Society as a minister.
- Horner is largely remembered only for the method, Horner's method, of solving algebraic equations ascribed to him by Augustus De Morgan and others.
- In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Horner's method had a prominent place in English and American textbooks on algebra.
- The answer lies simply with De Morgan who gave Horner's name and method wide coverage in many articles which he wrote.
- Horner made other mathematical contributions, however, publishing a series of papers on transforming and solving algebraic equations, and he also applied similar techniques to functional equations.
- We mention that Horner published Natural magic, a familiar exposition of a forgotten fact in optics (1832) and the modern invention of the zoetrope, under the name Daedaleum in 1834, has been attributed to him.
- After Horner died in his home in Grosvenor Place, Bath, of a stroke in 1837, one of his sons, also called William, carried on running the school The Seminary in Bath.
Born 9 June 1786, Bristol, England. Died 22 September 1837, Bath, England.
View full biography at MacTutor
Tags relevant for this person:
Ancient Arab, Ancient Chinese, Chinese, Origin England
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- @J-J-O'Connor
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References
Adapted from other CC BY-SA 4.0 Sources:
- O’Connor, John J; Robertson, Edmund F: MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
