Nova Methodus pro Maximis et Minimis

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First page of the "Nova Methodus pro Maximis et Minimis", Acta Eruditorum, October 1684 Leibniz-Acta-1684-NovaMethodus.jpg
First page of the "Nova Methodus pro Maximis et Minimis", Acta Eruditorum, October 1684

"Nova Methodus pro Maximis et Minimis" is the first published work on the subject of calculus. It was published by Gottfried Leibniz in the Acta Eruditorum in October 1684. [1] It is considered to be the birth of infinitesimal calculus. [2]

Contents

Full title

The full title of the published work is "Nova methodus pro maximis et minimis, itemque tangentibus, quae nec fractas nec irrationales quantitates moratur, et singulare pro illis calculi genus." In English, the full title can be translated as "A new method for maxima and minima, and for tangents, that is not hindered by fractional or irrational quantities, and a singular kind of calculus for the above mentioned." [2] It is from this title that this branch of mathematics takes the name calculus.

Influence

Although calculus was independently co-invented by Isaac Newton, most of the notation in modern calculus is from Leibniz. [3] Leibniz's careful attention to his notation makes some believe that "his contribution to calculus was much more influential than Newton's." [4]

Citation and translations

See also

Related Research Articles

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The integral symbol:

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References

  1. "Mathematical Treasure: Leibniz's Papers on Calculus". maa.org. Mathematical Association of America . Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  2. 1 2 Newton and Leibniz: the birth of calculus
  3. "The History of Calculus". Archived from the original on 2013-12-08. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  4. Greatest Mathematicians of All Time