|
Euler was born in Basel Switzerland on April 15th 1707. He was the son of a Protestant minister, named Paul. Even in his
early childhood he showed much interest in math, and he showed many mathmatical talents. His father, however wanted him to
study theology and become a minister also. In 1720 he went to school at the Univirsity of Basel, where he sudied theology.
At the University he me a man named Johann Bernaoulli. Euler's father had studied mathematics under Jakob Bernoulli and respected
the family, therefore he allowed his son to concentrate on mathematics when asked by Johann. In 1733 Euler
married Katharina Gsell. They had thirteen Children, but only three sons and two daughters survived. He was the first to publish
a systematic introduction to mechanics in 1736. Euler took a position in St. Petersburg, Russia and spent a few years as a
medic there. In 1773 Euler became a professor of mathematics at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. in 1738 he lost the
sight in his right eye, which is said to be from looking at the sun for too long. In 1741 Euler took a job as the mathmatics
director of the Berlin Academy of Sciences. Euler returned to Russia at the request of Catherine the Great in 1766. He soon
lost the sight in his left eye also, this leaving him tottaly blind. But, he had an extraordinary memory and could still calculate
very well.
|
