Hypatia began through discovery when she first invented a device used to measure the exact locations of the sun, moon and stars, which in turn concluded the sign of the zodiac. Hypatia is unique among many ancient scholars and philosophers, she was a woman. He felt that the citation from the suda could not be trusted because of its mention that hypatia wrote an astronomical canon when we know of no astronomical work after that of claudius ptolemy 16, 910. Though there is reference by her father that she commented on the third book of arithmetica, there are no inconsistencies between books two, three, and four. Apollonius of perga was a thirdcenturybc alexandrian geometer, the originator of epicycles and deferents to explain the irregular orbits of the planets. Hypatia is now known to have edited the existing text of book iii of ptolemys almagest. A commentary on the arithmetica of diophantus a commentary on the conics of apollonious she edited the third book of her fathers commentary on the almagest of ptolemy hydrometer astrolable platonic philosopher mathematician hypatia is greatly praised for her unusually high understanding of mathematics during her time period. She taught and wrote about a number of math topics on which further progress was. Controversy of the numbering of books in arithmetica. She is the first female mathematician whose life is reasonably well recorded. Remarkably, given the number of academic articles written about hypatia in recent times, this her only surviving work is yet to be given a modern translation directly into english.
Her father was theon of alexandria, a member of the famous museum of alexandria. Hypatia s commentary on the arithmetica of diophantus and commentary on the conics of apollonious unfortunately did not survive time as less complex systems of solving were explored. She was a prominent thinker of the neoplatonic school in alexandria where she taught philosophy and astronomy. Diophantus, often known as the father of algebra, is best known for his arithmetica, a work on the solution of algebraic equations and on the theory of numbers. Diophantus of alexandria, arithmetica and diophantine equations. She was a prominent thinker of the neoplatonic school in alexandria, where she taught philosophy and astronomy. Aug, 2019 many modern scholars also believe that hypatia may have edited the surviving text of ptolemys almagest, based on the title of her father theons commentary on book iii of the almagest. For example, book ii, problem 8, seeks to express a given square number as the sum of two square numbers here read more. However, essentially nothing is known of his life and there has been much debate regarding the date at which he lived. Hypatia also wrote commentaries on the arithmetica of diophantus, the conics of apollonious and edited part of her fathers commentary on the almagest by ptolemy. To explain this, it can be surmised that hypatia procured a revised and commented text. Around 400ce hypatia of alexandria wrote a commentary on the first six of these, and the remaining seven were eventually forgotten and are now believed to be lost heath, 5. The death of hypatia hypatia was a pagan in a time when alexandria was becoming increasingly christian. The arithmetica, the greatest treatise on which the fame of diophantus rests, purports to be in thirteen books, but none of the greek manuscripts which.
But a 2017 book by charlotte booth contends that hypatia edited book iii of almagest, a treatise by ptolemy. Hypatias commentaries included some alternative solutions and many new problems subsequently incorporated in the diophantus manuscripts. Hypatia pronounced in her time eepahteeah was a mathematician, astronomer, teacher, editor, inventor, musician, and author. The arithmetica as written by diophantus originally contained thirteen books. In charles kingsleys 1928 historical novel of the same name, she was born in 390 a. A partial list of hypatias works as mentioned by other antique and medieval authors or as posited by modern authors.
It is a collection of algebraic problems giving numerical solutions of determinate equations those with a unique solution and indeterminate equations. This book features a host of problems, the most significant of which have come to be called diophantine equations. As head of the platonist school at alexandria, she taught philosophy and astronomy as a neoplatonist philosopher, she belonged to the mathematic tradition of the academy of athens, as represented by eudoxus of cnidus. Her commentary on the arithmetica has survived in part through an arabic translation. Arithmetica books only 6 are now extant on polygonal. Hypatia was the daughter of the mathematician theon of alexandria c. Watts, theon was the head of a school called the mouseion, which was named in emulation of the hellenistic mouseion, whose membership had ceased in the 260s ad. Hypatia, ancient alexandrias great female scholar an avowed paganist in a time of religious strife, hypatia was also one of the first women to study math, astronomy and philosophy. Hypatia, ancient alexandrias great female scholar history. Hypatias most famous pupil was synesius of cyrene, who later became the bishop of ptolemy. Hypatias alleged commentary on diophantus arithmetica.
Heath in 1885 was doubtful that hypatia wrote on diophantus at all. Diophantus and pappus ca 300 represent a shortlived revival of greek mathematics in a society that did not value math as the greeks had done 500750 years earlier. It seems more like a book about diophantuss arithmetica, not the translation of the actual book. Apollonius of perga was a thirdcenturybc alexandrian geometer, the originator of. The problems of book i are not characteristic, being mostly simple problems used to illustrate algebraic reckoning. Hypatia edited the text of book iii of ptolemys almagest and wrote commentaries on diophantoss arithmetica and apollonios of pergas conics. Jun 25, 2019 hypatia commented and edited several ancient texts, such as diophantus arithmetica and is also known to have worked on ptolemys book iii of the almagest, the paramount resource for. A commentary on the volume arithmetica by diophantus. Hypatias work on book iii of claudius ptolemys great second century astronomical work almagest still exists. Most of the writings hypatia completed were actually meant to be used as text books to help her students with difficult math concepts. Hypatias work on diophantus appalachian state university. As hypatia s most devoted student, synesius was also poetmathematicianastronerphilosphers most diligent correspondent. Among them were a commentary on the volume arithmetica by diophantus. Sources in the history of mathematics and physical sciences, vol.
Is there an english translation of diophantuss arithmetica. He left behind a small corpus of texts that offer much information about daily life in late antiquity, and about the christianization of the roman world. Biography of diophantus about 200about 284 diophantus, often known as the father of algebra, is best known for his arithmetica, a work on the solution of algebraic equations and on the theory of numbers. She is the earliest female mathematician of whose life and work reasonably detailed knowledge exists. Hypatia is the earliest woman scientist whose life is well documented. Using the material of these books, hypatia was able to improve her students ability to understand di cult concepts. Hypatia never married because she chose to pursue her scholarly endeavors. Hypatia wrote many books such as the volumes of commentary on the arithmetica of diaphantus. Diaspora babes forlorad be happy now 2 boomer broads podcast alg2 ch 2 linear functions ephs back pocket book. This biography profiles her childhood, family, personal life, contributions, accomplishments, death and other facts. He wanted his daughter to become the perfect human being and educated her in art, literature, philosophy, science, and mathematics. Hypatia of alexandria wrote a commentary on the first six of these. Hypatia the mathematician department of mathematical sciences. The idea that there were books of this work came from diophantus himself with the first publication.
Hypatias hand are two student exercises at the start of book ii. Heath declared that tannery misread bachet and that bachet had also concluded that hypatia wrote on diophantus arithmetica. Diaspora babes forlorad be happy now 2 boomer broads podcast alg2 ch 2 linear functions ephs back pocket book club almost white featured software all software latest this just in old school emulation msdos games historical software classic pc games software library. Hypatia, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who lived in a very turbulent era in alexandrias history. Hypatia developed commentaries on older works, probably including those by ptolemy, diophantus, and apollonius, in order to make them easier to understand. Arithmetica is an open source, decentralized, network of computers powered by ethereum.
Hypatia, also known as hypatia of alexandria, was a famed inventor, astronomer, mathematician and philosopher from egypt. It is now believed, by those competent to judge such matters, that the very primers of rational thought, euclids the elements, ptolemys almagest, and diophantus arithmetica have come down to us only through the hypatian recension that is, through copies made of hypatia s own handwritten notes on these masterpieces. Only fragments of hypatias work and a list of several titles of her treatises on mathematics remain. Those letters remain the only first hand information remaining about hypatia. Paul tannery suggests that hypatia s commentary extended only to the first six books, and that she left untouched the remaining seven, which, partly as a consequence, were first forgotten and then lost.
Hypatia also edited the almagest, an important work by the greek astronomer and mathematician claudius ptolemy. Sesiano, books iv to vii of diophantus arithmetica in the arabic translation attributed to qusta ibn luqa. He is best known for his work arithmetica, part of which has survived in greek, and part only in. Hypatia is the first woman mathematician about whom we have either biographical knowledge or knowledge of her mathematics. People from different parts of the world came to alexandria, where she was teaching mathematics and astronomy. Born and killed in egypt, the story of the first female. Hypatia was a hellenistic neoplatonist philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician, who lived in alexandria, egypt, then part of the eastern roman empire.
She became the victim of a particularly brutal murder at the hands of a gang of christian zealots. The first woman mathematician of whom we have reasonably secure and detailed knowledge is hypatia of alexandria. Although there is a considerable amount of material available about her, very much of that is fanciful, tendentious, unreferenced or plain wrong. Looking at the contents, the first third of the book is the usual scholarly introduction 128pp, the second third is a translation of the arithmetica pp. In the introduction to this book, michael deakin expresses surprise that there have been so few fulllength treatments of the life and work of hypatia, and that, in particular, most such accounts have had very little to say about her mathematics. The consensus that hypatia s commentary is the source of the additional material in the arabic manuscripts of the arithmetica has been challenged by wilbur knorr, a historian of mathematics, who argues that the interpolations are of such low level as not to require any real mathematical insight and that the author of the interpolations can. In addition to the joint work with her father, we are informed by suidas that hypatia wrote commentaries on diophantuss arithmetica, on apolloniuss conics and. She wrote a commentary on diophantus, the canon of astronomy and a commentary on the conics of appolonius.
The arabic translations of books 4, 5, 6, and 7 of arithmetica contain more commentary on solutions than the greek versions. Hypatia is known to have constructed astrolabes and hydrometers, but did not invent either of these, which were both in use long before she was born. Hypatia wrote a commentary on diophantuss thirteenvolume arithmetica, which had been written sometime around the year 250 ad. Hypatia was born in 370 ad in the center of learning that was alexandria, egypt. It is through some of his letters that he wrote to hypatia that researchers are able to learn more about her. These editions may have been copied from hypatia s commentary editions of arithmetica, modified by her to help students at her school. In her book, osen 1974 used hubbard as one of her primary sources on hypatia. Mathematician, philosopher, myth hardcover april 17, 2017. The 2ndcentury book, whose reproduction we still have in many universities across the.
She wrote many books on mathematics, such as the volumes of commentary on the arithmetica of diophantus, the father of algebra. Hypatia wrote a commentary on apollonius of pergas treatise on conic sections, but this commentary is no longer extant. Hypatia edited the existing text of book iii of ptolemys almagest and wrote a commentary on diophantuss thirteenvolume arithmetica. Unfortunately, this fictional account has been spread as truth in other publications that depend on osen. She was a great teacher, scholar, mathematician, philosopher, scientist, and compiler and preserver of important scientific writings. And she wrote about her favorite science, astronomy. Indeed, one measure of the book s value to the professional community is the number of commentaries written on it. Hypatia also authored a treatise on the conics of apollonius in eight books.
In the book by maria dzielska, hypatia of alexandria, the strongest argument is made for 355 a. The distinctive features of diophantuss problems appear in the later books. Porisms may have originally been part of arithmetica, as in the latter they are referenced as though they are there in ancient and even in more recent times, commentaries would frequently be written on notable books. Hypatia s work on diophantus references in the 10th century suda lexicon, hesychius 6th century material was summarized. She translated and popularized the works of greek mathematicians, including diophantuss third century arithmetica, a book noted for integral solutions to linear equations, and apolloniuss conic sections. A commentary on the arithmetica of diophantus a commentary on the conics of apollonious she edited the third book of her fathers commentary on the almagest of ptolemy.
But a 2017 book by charlotte booth contends that hypatia edited book. In it he introduced algebraic manipulations on equations including a symbol for one unknown probably following other authors in alexandria. Notable in arithmetica is the introduction of short forms that anticipate algebra. Theres just an abstract from the books, mostly an abbreviated description of the problems and their solutions which doesnt seem to be a 1. This gives researchers access to free computational power and the rest of us an opportunity to contribute by simply visiting a website.
Many modern scholars also believe that hypatia may have edited the surviving text of ptolemys almagest, based on the title of her father theons commentary on book iii of the almagest. Hypatia about 370 415 mactutor history of mathematics. Diophantus was the first greek mathematician who recognized fractions as numbers, thus allowed positive rational numbers for. Arithmetica decentralized computational math platform. Hypatia s work on book iii of claudius ptolemys great second century astronomical work almagest still exists. Hypatia commented and edited several ancient texts, such as diophantus arithmetica and is also known to have worked on ptolemys book iii of the almagest, the paramount resource for. Sesianos books iv to vii of diophantus arithmetica new york.
In 6 heath presents nesselmans view that the missing books were originally placed between books i and ii, while tannery and heath share the opinion that it is the last and. Hypatia s alleged commentary on diophantus arithmetica. On the other hand he is quoted by theon of alexandria who observed an eclipse at alexandria in ad 365. Deakin the american mathematical monthly,march 1994, volume 101, number 3, pp. It was here that she lectured on diophantus arithmetica. Hypatia was also renowned as a talented scientist and teacher.