WW Rouse Ball

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Walter William Rouse Ball

Walter William Rouse Ball (born August 14, 1850 in Hampstead (London) , † April 4, 1925 in Elmstead , Cambridge ) is an English mathematician and mathematician, best known for a book on entertainment mathematics.

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Ball attended schools in London and studied mathematics, logic and moral philosophy at University College London , where he received the gold medal in mathematics. From 1871 he studied at Trinity College of Cambridge University , where he worked in the Mathematical Tripos of 1874 as a Wrangler in sections (second behind the Senior Wrangler ). In 1874 he received the Smith Prize and in 1875 he became a Fellow of Trinity College. He then embarked on a brief legal career and became a barrister at the Inner Temple in London in 1876 (where he immediately wrote a guide for prospective lawyers), but returned to the university in 1877 and supported William Kingdon Clifford , who was in poor health at University College London at the math lectures. In 1878 he became a lecturer at Trinity College and in 1880 an assistant tutor . In 1891 he became Director of Mathematical Studies at Trinity and in 1898 Senior Tutor . He also held administrative posts at Cambridge University, represented them in various bodies and sat on the Council of Trinity College. He was also on the governing boards of Westminster School and the Perse School.

Ball is still known today for his popular mathematics story, which was reissued in 1960, and above all for his "Mathematical Recreations and Essays", which first appeared in 1892. He also wrote a book on the history of mathematics at Cambridge, dealing specifically with Isaac Newton .

In 1927, WW Rouse Ball professorships in mathematics were established in both Cambridge and Oxford in his memory.

Ernest William Barnes is one of his students .

Fonts

  • A Short Account of the History of Mathematics , 1st edition 1888, 4th edition 1908, Dover 1960
  • Mathematical Recreations and Essays , 1st edition 1892, later editions edited by HSM Coxeter (some chapters such as the one on mechanical gadgets and topics such as string figures and honeycombs were omitted ), Dover 1987, ISBN 0-486-25357-0
  • A history of the mathematical studies in Cambridge
  • An Essay on Newton's Principia , Macmillan 1893, Johnson Reprint 1972
  • A History of the First Trinity Boat Club , 1908
  • A students guide to the bar , Macmillan 1879
  • String figures , Cambridge 1921, Reprint Chelsea 1960, new as Fun with string figures , Dover 1971

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personal data
SURNAME Ball, WW Rouse
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Ball, Walter William Rouse (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English mathematician
DATE OF BIRTH August 14, 1850
PLACE OF BIRTH Hampstead (London)
DATE OF DEATH April 4, 1925
Place of death Elmstead