The Renaissance marked a pivotal time in European history when art, science, and religion changed drastically. This period was characterized by a shift from the old and primitive towards modernized, urbanized, and secular social structures.
Mathematics also underwent many changes during the Renaissance, featuring influential figures such as Niccolo Tartagli and François Viete who advanced the field by leaps and bounds. In this article, we will explore how math changed during the Renaissance, and the impact it had on modern mathematics.
Introduction to the Renaissance
The Renaissance is often referred to as the cultural and intellectual years of rebirth in Europe, which began in the 1300s and lasted through the mid-1700s. It is characterized by a shift in thought provided by the invention of the printing press, advances in scientific and technological understandings, and the ending of the dark ages in Europe.
The field of mathematics was also heavily impacted, with groundbreaking advancements providing the foundation that would be used for centuries to come.
The Introduction of Algebra
Before the Renaissance, mathematics was mainly used for practical purposes and was divided into two distinct fields: number theory and geometry. The introduction of algebra during the Renaissance marked a tremendous change in the field of mathematics.
Niccolo Tartaglia and Gerolamo Cardano published groundbreaking works on algebra in the 1500s, which helped create the modern-day version of the subject. Algebraic equations took mathematics to a whole new level, allowing more complex problems to be solved. Tartaglia’s work was particularly influential in the Renaissance, as he was the first mathematician to solve cubic equations using the “Tartaglia formula.
” This proved to be an essential tool in future mathematics, as it was used to formula solvable equations in algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Algebra encouraged mathematicians to think abstractly and to use logical analysis to understand complex problems.
This revolutionized the field of mathematics and set the stage for future advancements.
The Development of Analytic Geometry
Analytic geometry is one of the most significant advancements in mathematics during the Renaissance. This new field of mathematics combined algebraic methods and geometry, which allowed the graphing and plotting of equations.
Perhaps the most influential mathematician in this field was François Viete, who developed the first algebraic formula for plotting lines on a graph. His work made it easier for mathematicians to solve equations and to use the data to gain a better understanding of the world around them. Viete’s work also proved to be invaluable in the advancement of calculus, as plotting equations with analytic geometry provided the necessary foundation that would later be used to discover calculus.
Analytic geometry is still used significantly to this day in mathematics, engineering, and physics. This subject encouraged mathematicians to think more abstractly and use powerful techniques to solve complex problems.
The Greater Use of Logarithms
Logarithms were another important advancement made in mathematics during the Renaissance. The development of this concept is credited to John Napier, who created logarithms as a way to simplify complex multiplication and division calculations. His “Napierian logarithms” allowed mathematicians to solve problems more quickly and accurately than ever before.
Additionally, the advent of the calculator in the 1620s also allowed mathematicians to utilize logarithms more efficiently and multiplied their effectiveness. Logarithms greatly impacted the field of mathematics by simplifying and drastically improving tedious calculations.
This advancement provided the foundation for further development in fields such as mathematics, engineering, and science, and is still used significantly to this day.
The Foundation of Statistics and Calculus
The Renaissance also marked the development of two other major fields of mathematics: statistics and calculus. Mathematics had been used to solve practical problems since the ancient Greeks, but the Renaissance saw statisticians such as Jacob Bernoulli use mathematical formulas to collect and analyze data. This provided an invaluable tool for understanding trends and predicting outcomes.
The Renaissance also saw the development of calculus, which was pioneered by Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz. Calculus provided an understanding of change and allowed mathematicians to grasp concepts such as limits, derivatives, and integrals.
This understanding of change provided a more powerful tool to understand the behavior of physical objects in the world, which led to developments in fields such as physics and engineering.
Conclusion
The Renaissance was a pivotal time in the history of mathematics and brought about many revolutionary advancements. The introduction of algebra, analytic geometry, and logarithms provided a powerful tool for understanding and solving complex equations.
Statistics and calculus also provided an understanding of change and data that allowed fields such as physics to progress significantly. The advancements made during the Renaissance are still used today, providing the foundation of modern mathematics.