Subject: Re: [HM] "President Garfield's Proof"
From: John Harper (John.Harper@MCS.VUW.AC.NZ)
Date: Mon Jan 24 2000 - 14:36:08 EST
On Sun, 23 Jan 2000, Karen Dee Michalowicz wrote:
> I am so happy that after all that has happened in US politics in the
> last generation my colleagues can see that there was a US politician
> beside Jefferson who knew some mathematics.
>
> So, even if we don't know how old Garfield was or how original his
> proof was, those of us from my country can take some satisfaction in
> knowing that our international colleagues wont think us all ignorant.
We never thought Jefferson was the only one. Benjamin Franklin must have
known some mathematics too. He may not have contributed a new theorem or
a new proof of an old one, but he did do some scientific research while
in office as US Ambassador to France! My reference:
Ben Franklin stilled the waves : an informal history of pouring oil on
water with reflections on the ups and downs of scientific life in general
/ by Charles Tanford. IMPRINT Durham : Duke University Press, 1989.
John Harper, School of Mathematical and Computing Sciences,
Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand
e-mail john.harper@vuw.ac.nz phone (+64)(4)463 5341 fax (+64)(4)463 5045
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