Pierre de Fermat was a French mathematician who contributed significantly to the development of infinitesimal calculus in the seventeenth century. He pioneered number theory research and identified various new patterns in numbers that had perplexed mathematicians for ages. Despite his strong love for mathematics, he chose to pursue a law career, as was required of young men of his social standing in those days. However, the young man’s decision to pursue a career in a subject unrelated to mathematics did not prevent him from becoming an amateur mathematician in his own right. Initially, he addressed letters to his pals, frequently with little or no evidence, describing his mathematical findings. As he rose in prominence, his discoveries were published and extensively disseminated. Inspired by the works of the Hellenistic mathematician Diophantus, he went on to become one of the two premier mathematicians of the first part of the seventeenth century, along with René Descartes. His contributions to analytic geometry, probability, and optics were remarkable, and he played a key role in the creation of infinitesimal calculus.
Childhood and Adolescence
Pierre de Fermat was born in the first decade of the 17th century in Beaumont-de-Lomagne (modern-day Tarn-et-Garonne), France. His birth year is thought to be either 1601 or 1607.
He came from a well-to-do family. Dominique Fermat’s father was a successful merchant who had served three one-year terms as one of Beaumont-de-four Lomagne’s consuls. Françoise Cazeneuve or Claire de Long was his mother’s name. He had two sisters and one brother.
Though many details about his early life are unknown, some accounts imply that he attended the Collège de Navarre in Montauban for his education.
Despite his early interest in mathematics, he decided to pursue a career as a lawyer. In 1623, he enrolled at the University of Orléans and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil law in 1626.
Pieere Fermat’s Career
He then relocated to Bordeaux to pursue his mathematical studies. He met Jean de Beaugrand, a well-known videographer, and mathematician with whom he had common interests. He conducted key work on maxima and minima when he was here.
In 1630, he purchased the positions of conseiller and commissaire aux requites at the Parlement de Toulouse, one of France’s High Courts of Judicature. The Grand Chambre swore him in the following year. He spent the rest of his life in this position.
In 1638, he was advanced to the position of Conseiller aux enquêtes, and four years later, he was admitted to the ‘parliament’s highest councils—the criminal court and then the Grand Chamber.
In 1648, he served as the parliament’s principal speaker when negotiating with France’s chancellor, Pierre Séguier. However, personal letters written around this period indicate that Fermat’s performance in office was not up to par.
Despite his high-paying work, he engaged himself in mathematical studies and frequently wrote letters to his pals about his results. Many of his letters after 1636 reveal details about his mathematical research and development as a mathematician.
He created the method of ‘adequality’ for determining maxima, minima, and tangents to various curves in his work ‘Methodus ad disquirendam maximum et minima and in De tangential linear curvature; this was akin to the differential calculus, which was unknown at the time. He also devised a novel method for determining the gravity centers of various planar and solid objects.
In 1654, he corresponded with Blaise Pascal, and the two men collaborated on the foundations of probability theory. Despite the fact that his relationship with Pascal was brief, it was extremely fruitful, leading to the development of probability theory.
Pierre de Fermat made a significant contribution to number theory. His research into Pell’s equation, perfect numbers, amicable numbers, positive integers, and prime numbers led to the discovery of Fermat numbers, which were named after him.
Fermat was a famous mathematician in the seventeenth century. He practically single-handedly founded the science of analytical geometry and contributed to the early development of calculus. He was also known to have worked on optics and light refraction.
Fermat’s Last Theorem, which was initially discovered by his son in the margin of his father’s copy of Diophantus, is one of his most well-known writings. Fermat claimed to have proof but was unable to demonstrate it. Andrew Wiles published the first successful evidence in 1994, millennia later.
He was multilingual, speaking French, Italian, Spanish, Latin, and Greek, and he dabbled in philological issues, earning a reputation as a classical scholar.
His Major Projects
He was a key figure in the development of infinitesimal calculus and is credited with developing an original method for obtaining the greatest and smallest ordinates of curved lines that is akin to differential calculus. He also devised a factorization method, Fermat’s factorization method, which was eventually named after him.
Personal History and Legacy
On June 1, 1631, Pierre de Fermat married Louise de Long, a relative of his mother. Two sons and three daughters were born into the marriage. Clément-Samuel, his eldest son, also became a lawyer and inherited his father’s office after his death; he later published his father’s mathematical papers.
He died in Castres, France, on January 12, 1665.
Estimated Net worth
Pierre De Fermat has a net worth of $ USD 10 million and earns a living as a lawyer, judge, and mathematician. We don’t have enough information about Pierre De Fermat’s cars or lifestyle.