Mathematician:John Machin

Mathematician

English professor of astronomy, best known for developing a quickly converging series for $\pi$ (pi) in $1706$ and using it to compute $\pi$ to $100$ decimal places.

While he supposedly enjoyed a high mathematical reputation, the rest of his works were inferior.

Nationality

English

History

• Born: c. 1686 in England
• Died: 9 June 1751 in London, England

Theorems

• Machin's Formula for Pi (also known as Machin's Identity)

Results named for John Machin can be found here.

Publications

• The Laws of the Moon's Motion According to Gravity
• Quadrature of the Circle
• 1738: The Solution of Kepler's Problem

Sources

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

• 1986: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers ... (previous) ... (next): A List of Mathematicians in Chronological Sequence
• 1997: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): A List of Mathematicians in Chronological Sequence