Archimedes Research: Explore Math History's Greatest Mind

[smithnya]

Hello everyone,

I'm beginning a research project for a Math History class on Archimedes. Since technically it is a math class, I have to demonstrate and explain some of his math. Naturally, I can't explain and go into detail on everything the man did, and having only about a month to prepare it, I can't read and truly understand everything he worked on or wrote. Could you guys give me some recommendations on interesting topics he covered? Maybe 3 or 4 could get me started.

 

[micromass]

Here is an overview of things Archimedes worked on: http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Biographies/Archimedes.html Read it and see if there is something in particular that interests you.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I recommend the book The Archimedes Codex, especially the chapter that explains how he found the area of a parabola. The book also talks about his concept of infinity.

 

[coolul007]

Archimedes is a dual contributor, Geometry/Mathematics and Physics. One of his Geometry exploits was finding the maximum area cone in a sphere. He also gave the first approximation for Pi.

 

[CellCoree]

As a fellow scientist, I am excited to see your interest in exploring the work of Archimedes, one of the greatest minds in math history. His contributions have greatly influenced the field of mathematics and it is a worthy endeavor to learn more about his work.

To help you get started, I would recommend looking into a few key areas of Archimedes' work. One of his most famous achievements is his discovery of the principle of buoyancy, which is commonly known as Archimedes' principle. This principle states that the upward buoyant force on an object immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid that the object displaces. This concept has numerous practical applications and is still taught in physics and engineering courses today.

Another interesting topic to explore is Archimedes' method for approximating the value of pi. He was able to calculate the value of pi to be between 3 1/7 and 3 10/71, which was a significant advancement in the understanding of this irrational number. His method involved inscribing and circumscribing regular polygons inside and outside of a circle, respectively, to get closer and closer approximations of pi.

You may also want to look into Archimedes' work on the lever and the concept of the center of gravity. He famously said, "Give me a place to stand, and I shall move the Earth," demonstrating his understanding of the mechanics of the lever. He also developed the concept of the center of gravity, which is still used in engineering and design today.

Lastly, I would recommend exploring Archimedes' contributions to geometry. He developed many theorems and proofs, including the area of a parabolic segment and the volume of a sphere. His work in geometry laid the foundation for future advancements in the field.

I hope these suggestions help you get started on your research project. Archimedes' work is vast and complex, but I have no doubt that with your curiosity and dedication, you will be able to uncover many fascinating insights into his brilliant mind. Good luck on your project!