Jacques Bernoulli (1654–1705) was a Swiss mathematician known for contributing to probability theory and calculus. His work formed the basis for developing the fundamental theorem of calculus.
Born in Basle into a renowned family of mathematicians, Bernoulli studied theology and traveled in Europe before returning to Basle (1682,) where he became a professor in 1687. He investigated infinite series, the cycloid, transcendental curves, the logarithmic spiral, and the catenary.
In 1690, Bernoulli applied Gottfried Leibniz’s newly discovered differential calculus to a problem in geometry and introduced the term ‘integral.’ His Ars conjectandi (1713, ‘The Art of Conjecture,’) an important contribution to probability theory, included his ‘law of large numbers,’ his permutation theory, and the ‘Bernoulli numbers,’ coefficients found in exponential series.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Jacob Bernoulli
Nature always tends to act in the simplest way.
—Jacob Bernoulli
Topics: Nature
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