There is no universally agreed-upon list of the 50 greatest mathematicians.
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While there is no universally agreed-upon list of the 50 greatest mathematicians, many individuals and organizations have attempted to compile such a ranking based on varying criteria. One such list, compiled by the mathematician and historian of mathematics, Eric Temple Bell, includes the likes of Euclid, Archimedes, Isaac Newton, Carl Friedrich Gauss, and Leonhard Euler. Bell’s list is notable for its inclusion of ancient mathematicians, as well as its focus on mathematical impact rather than personal biography.
Another list, compiled by mathematician and author, Chris Caldwell, includes an additional set of criteria, such as the mathematician’s contributions to number theory and the level of mathematical insight displayed. Caldwell’s list includes names like John von Neumann, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and Andrew Wiles.
However, such rankings are far from definitive, and there are many other considerations that could be taken into account. The mathematician and philosopher, Alfred North Whitehead, famously remarked: “Pure mathematics consists entirely of such asseverations as that, if such and such a proposition is true of anything, then such and such another proposition is true of that thing. It is essential not to discuss whether the first proposition is really true, and not to mention what the anything is of which it is supposed to be true… If our hypothesis is about anything, and not about some one or more particular things, then our deductions constitute mathematics. Thus, mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true.” (From his book, “An Introduction to Mathematics”)
All this is to say that the greatness of a mathematician is difficult to reduce to a list, and is likely to vary depending on one’s particular interests and criteria. Nevertheless, here is a table of some of the names that have been mentioned among various “greatest mathematicians” lists:
Name
Years
Contributions
Euclid
c. 300 BC
Elements and other works in geometry
Archimedes
c. 287-212 BC
Contributions to geometry and calculus
Isaac Newton
1642-1727
Foundational work in calculus and physics
Carl Friedrich Gauss
1777-1855
Contributions to number theory and many other fields
Leonhard Euler
1707-1783
Pioneering work in calculus, number theory, and more
John von Neumann
1903-1957
Contributions to mathematics, computer science, and more
Of course, this list is far from exhaustive, and there are many other names that could be included. Nevertheless, it gives a sense of some of the great minds that have impacted mathematics over the years.
See related video
In the video “Top 10 Greatest Mathematicians to Ever Live!”, the top four mathematicians are discussed. George Fredrich Bernard Riemann, known for his contributions to geometry and the Riemann hypothesis, takes third place, while Carl Frederick Gauss, with achievements in various mathematical areas, including algebra and calculus, is ranked second. Leonard Euler is considered to be the greatest mathematician of all time, with groundbreaking contributions to mathematical notation, such as the symbol π and the concept of a function. The video concludes by thanking viewers for their time and encouraging them to like and subscribe to the channel.
Here are some more answers to your question
THE 50 GREATEST MATHEMATICIANS
LEONHARD EULER. ( – )
CARL FRIEDRICH GAUSS. ( – )
ISAAC NEWTON. (January 4, 1643 – )
SRINIVASA RAMANUJAN.
LIU HUI.
AUGUSTIN-LOUIS CAUCHY.
GEORG BERNHARD RIEMANN.
MUHAMMAD IBN MUSA AL-KHWARIZMI.
Mathematicians
1 Alan Turing (English Mathematician Who is Considered as the Father of Theoretical Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence) 448
2 Srinivasa Ramanujan (Mathematician) 444
3 Pythagoras (Greek Philosopher, Mathematician and Founder of Pythagoreanism)
4 Aryabhata (5th & 6th Century Indian Mathematician and Astronomer who Calculated the Value of Pi)
5 Ada Lovelace
6 Archimedes
7 René Déscartes
8 John Forbes Nash Jr.
Interesting Facts on the Subject
Wondering what,Mathematics is a field that some people shy away from, but there are some famous mathematicians who had a passion for numbers throughout our history books.They looked for ways to understand the world as it relates to mathematics and their contributions have been very important for their generation and beyond.
It is interesting:The most common degree held by mathematicians is Mathematics, held by 21% of mathematicians. Other common degrees include Physics, and Applied Mathematics .Get a detailed breakdown of mathematicians and the different types of degrees they hold: Interested in becoming an mathematician? Check out our free comprehensive guide on how to become one today.
Did you know that,There are innumerable famous mathematicians who made extraordinary contributions to the field of mathematics since the day the discipline came into being.Thales of Miletus is said to be one of the earliest pioneers of mathematics and a true expert of the field. He lived around c. 624–c.546 BC making the earliest discoveries in mathematics.
You will probably be interested
Who is the No 1 mathematician of the world?
The answer is: 1. Pythagoras. The life of the famous Greek Pythagoras is somewhat mysterious. Probably born the son of a seal engraver on the island of Samos, Pythagoras has been attributed with many scientific and mathematical discoveries in antiquity.
Who is the greatest math genius of all time?
As an answer to this: Carl Gauss (1777-1855) If Newton is considered the greatest scientist of all time, Gauss could easily be called the greatest mathematician ever. Carl Friedrich Gauss was born to a poor family in Germany in 1777 and quickly showed himself to be a brilliant mathematician.
Who is the very genius in math?
Srinivasa Ramanujan epitomized the term “genius.” For mathematicians, his is a true rags-to-riches story. Born and raised in rural India in the late nineteenth century, Ramanujan had scarce few opportunities to develop his raw mathematical skills.
Who is the greatest mathematicians that never lived?
Response: Nicholas Bourbaki was one of the most influential mathematicians of the twentieth century whose contribution is cardinal to how mathematics is done today. However, there was just one problem – he did not exist.
Who are the greatest mathematicians of all time?
Conway’s great creativity and breadth certainly make him one of the greatest living mathematicians. Conway has won the Nemmers Prize in Mathematics, and was first winner of the Pólya Prize. Mumford works in algebraic geometry and also explored the idea of "pattern theory" in applied math.
Who is the greatest physicist ever?
Response to this: 4 Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist and mathematician who is widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time and a key figure in the scientific revolution. He is the only human being to be argued as the greatest mathematician ever and the greatest physicist ever at the same time.
Who is considered the greatest number theorist ever?
Despite his early death, he is considered one of the greatest number theorists ever. Gauss named Eisenstein, along with Newton and Archimedes, as one of the three epoch-making mathematicians of history.
Who is the most famous scientist of the 20th century?
Response will be: Hawking was one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century and joins this list of famous scientists in history. Mathematics and mechanics. Hero of Alexandria (also known as Heron of Alexandria) was one of the greatest mathematicians, an engineer and inventor. Hero was expert at putting science into practice.
Who are the greatest mathematicians of all time?
Conway’s great creativity and breadth certainly make him one of the greatest living mathematicians. Conway has won the Nemmers Prize in Mathematics, and was first winner of the Pólya Prize. Mumford works in algebraic geometry and also explored the idea of "pattern theory" in applied math.
Who is the greatest physicist ever?
Answer: 4 Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist and mathematician who is widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time and a key figure in the scientific revolution. He is the only human being to be argued as the greatest mathematician ever and the greatest physicist ever at the same time.
Who is considered the greatest number theorist ever?
In reply to that: Despite his early death, he is considered one of the greatest number theorists ever. Gauss named Eisenstein, along with Newton and Archimedes, as one of the three epoch-making mathematicians of history.
Who is the most famous scientist of the 20th century?
The response is: Hawking was one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century and joins this list of famous scientists in history. Mathematics and mechanics. Hero of Alexandria (also known as Heron of Alexandria) was one of the greatest mathematicians, an engineer and inventor. Hero was expert at putting science into practice.
