ProofWiki:Mathematicians/Robert Recorde

Welsh physician and mathematician.

Best known for inventing the equals sign. This was just part of his contribution towards the development and systematization of mathematical notation.

Nationality

Welsh

History

• Born: c. 1510, Tenby, Wales
• Died: 1558

Inventions

• The Equals sign
• The term zenzizenzizenzic.

Books and Papers

• c. 1540: The Grounde of Artes, teachings the Worke and Practise, of Arithmeticke, both in whole numbers and fractions, the first English book on algebra.
• 1551: The Pathway to Knowledge, containing the First Principles of Geometry ... bothe for the use of Instrumentes Geometricall and Astronomicall, and also for Projection of Plattes
• 1557: The Whetstone of Witte, whiche is the seconde parte of Arithmeteke: containing the extraction of rootes; the cossike practise, with the rule of equation; and the workes of Surde Nombers. This is the book in which the equals sign first appears in print, as does the wonderful word zenzizenzizenzic.

Books used to have longer titles in those days.

Many sources credit his works with the first appearance of the term "algebra", but there is disagreement as to exactly which.

Notable Quotes

• "... noe 2 thynges can be moare equalle."

Also see

• John J. O'Connor and Edmund F. Robertson: "Robert Recorde": MacTutor History of Mathematics archive