Blaise Pascal

Seventeenth century the golden period in the history of mathematics. During this period lived some of the most famous mathematicians from Europe who had created revolutionary findings. Most of the development from central Europe was from Paris. One of the Significant names among these was Blaise Pascal. An extra ordinary Genius of his time, he was the youngest person to be invited to present his paper in the prestigious forum of Scholars of the time, which had later turned to the Paris Academy.

Pascal lived only for thirty nine years, within the short span of time he researched, the number of findings he made is absolutely amazing. Pascal was born on 19 June 1623 in Clermont-Ferrand a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region. His father Etienne was a Lawyer and also was interested in science and mathematics. The family had later moved to Paris for the education of Pascal and his education was under his father. Etienne decided young Pascal be educated with languages like Latin and Greek before he moved to the magical world of mathematics. But Pascal was more interested in mathematics, There was a big collection of mathematical books in the house but his father was strict that he concentrated on the languages. When Pascal was twelve he asked his father about geometry. His father gave him a vague answer and asked him to concentrate on languages, But the vague answer ignited the mind of Pascal and during his free time he secretly drew circles and triangles and other shapes and started thinking on it. He discovered many formulas and its proofs during this period. His father one day found his activity and on reading his findings was surprised and guilty. His father gave him Euclid's book on basic geometry. Young Pascal didn't need anybodies help to learn the book and that was the beginning of a journey which had led to many findings in modern mathematics.