Famous Mathematicians

Great thinkers whose work has helped shaped today's world.

Eudoxus of Cnidus

Image of Eudoxus of Cnidus

390BCE

340BCE

Eudoxus of Cnidus was a renowned ancient Greek mathematician who lived in the 4th century BC. He was known for his contributions to the field of geometry and mathematics. One of his most famous achievements was his method of exhaustion, which was a precursor to the integral calculus developed by later mathematicians.

Eudoxus used the method of exhaustion to calculate the areas and volumes of geometric shapes. This involved inscribing and circumscribing shapes with a series of polygons to approximate the area or volume of a given figure. This method laid the foundation for the development of calculus and helped solve complex geometric problems.

For example, a Secondary School student would be able to understand Eudoxus' method of exhaustion when calculating the area of a circle. By inscribing polygons inside and outside the circle, Eudoxus was able to approximate the area of the circle, demonstrating the concept of limits and infinite series.

Overall, Eudoxus of Cnidus was a pioneering mathematician whose work in geometry and calculus made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and laid the groundwork for future developments in the subject.

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Volume  Activity

Appreciate the work of Eudoxus of Cnidus by trying some of the maths that this mathematician is known for.

There is an activity called Volume that you could try right now. Use formulae to solve problems involving the volumes of cuboids, cones, pyramids, prisms and composite solids.

So there's no better time than the present to learn some mathematics from the past: let's Go!

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