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Definition: Napier, John from Philip's Encyclopedia

Scottish mathematician. He developed 'Napier's bones', an early calculating apparatus, and logarithms (1614), a powerful mathematical technique.


Napier, John (1550-1617)

From The Hutchinson Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Place : United States of America Subject : biography, maths and statistics, computing Scottish mathematician who invented logarithmic tables. Napier was born in Merchiston Castle, near Edinburgh, in 1550, into a family of influential landed nobility and statesmen who were staunchly attached to the Protestant cause. As a young boy he was educated chiefly at home, although he may have spent some time at the Edinburgh High School and, less probably, studying in France. At the age of 13 he was sent to St Salvator's College, in the University of St Andrews. There he studied mainly theology and philosophy, gained a reputation for his quick temper, and left without taking his degree. He may then have passed a few years studying on the continent. He was, at any rate, in Scotland in 1571. He built a castle at Gartnes, on the banks of the Endrick, and lived there with his wife, whom he married in 1572, until the death of his father in 1608 brought him the inheritance of Merchiston. Napier was an…
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Full text Article Napier, John

From Philip's Encyclopedia
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Full text Article Napier, John (1550-1617)

From The Hutchinson Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Place : United States of America Subject : biography, maths and statistics, computing Scottish mathematician who invented logarithmic tables. Napier was born in Merchiston Castle, near Edinburgh, in 1550, into a family of influential landed nobility and statesmen who were staunchly attached to the…
| 661 words
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Full text Article Napier, John (1550–1617).

From The Oxford Companion to British History
Mathematician. Napier invented logarithms, greatly simplifying calculations involving multiplying and dividing. As Kepler put it, he doubled the life of astronomers (by halving the time they took number-crunching). He was 8th laird of Merchiston. Educated in France and then at St Andrews, he…
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Full text Article Napier John (1550-1617)

From The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics
Scottish mathematician who worked on trigonometry and methods of computation. In 1614 he published his Mirifici logarithmorum canonis descriptio (Description of the Marvellous Rule of Logarithms) - the first tables of logarithms for aiding calculation. Napier started work on this around 1594. His…
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Portrait of a gentleman believed to be Thomas Harriot, c.1620 (engraving)
Artist: Delaram, Francis (c.1590-1627) Location: Private Collection Credit: Portrait of a gentleman believed to be Thomas Harriot, c.1620 (engraving), Delaram, Francis (c.1590-1627) / Private Collection / The Bridgeman Art Library Date: 17th c. Medium: engraving Description: Thomas Harriot…
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Full text Article Napierian logarithm

From The Penguin Dictionary of Science
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Full text Article Napier's bones

From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
| 57 words
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Full text Article Napierian or Naperian

From The Chambers Dictionary
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John Napier
Scottish mathematician and theologian John Napier (also spelled Neper), originated the concept of logarithms as a mathematical device to aid in calculations. Napier was born in 1550 in Merchiston Castle, near Edinburgh, Scotland. At the age of 13, he entered the University of St. Andrews, but his…
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Full text Article Napier, John

From Chambers Biographical Dictionary
1550-1617 Scottish mathematician, inventor of logarithms Born at Merchiston Castle, Edinburgh, he went to St Andrews University at the age of 13 but never graduated, travelled on the Continent, then settled down to a life of literary and scientific study. He described his famous invention of…
| 162 words
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