Pierre de Fermat

Pierre de Fermat

Jimmy L. Harris

MTH/110

June 13, 2011

Cecilia Craig

Pierre de Fermat

There are many great mathematicians in the world today. In this paper, I would like to look at one among many, from our past. This is class about the history of math and the people who contributed, not only to the past but whose work is very much a part of the future. One in particular, was Pierre de Fermat. I want to hit on just few things about Pierre de Fermat and his accomplishments. This paper will cover such areas as his place of birth, where he grew up and how he lived, I will cover a brief overview of family life and his upbringing, I will talk about his education, the countries in which he live and worked, I will share examples of his contributions, not only in mathematics, but what and how he influenced other parts of his life, I will cover his most important work and the results of it, and finally the place in which he ultimately died. These are just a few of the things about the birth, life, and death of Pierre de Fermat. As in most cases, we will begin with his birth.

There is very little-known about Fermat. Pierre de Fermat(1601-1665), born on 20 August 1601 in the town of Beaumont-de-Lomagne, France, where the mansion he was born in is now a museum. Fermat is of Basque origin which from south-western part of France, where they speak a different dialect. The family of Fermat. His father, Dominique Fermat a successful leather business owner and operator. His father also was the second consul of the town(one of the three supreme magistrates for a town or country). Fermat had an uncle and godfather for whom he got his name Pierre, who was also a business merchant. Fermat, in some text, had two sisters and a brother. His mother, Claire de Long, a noblesse de robe(a class of hereditary nobles who acquire their rank through holding a high state office) brought the social status to the family's firm financial position(britannica.com, 2011). So,...