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Poisson, Siméon Denis

(Encyclopedia)Poisson, Siméon Denis sēmāôNˈ dənēˈ pwäsôNˈ [key], 1781–1840, French mathematician and physicist. From 1802 he taught at the École polytechnique, Paris, and was also on the faculty of sc...

Birkhoff, Garrett

(Encyclopedia)Birkhoff, Garrett gârˈət bûrˈkôf [key], 1911–96, American mathematician, b. Princeton, N.J.; son of George David Birkhoff. He was educated at Harvard (B.A., 1932) where he was elected a fellow...

International Development Association

(Encyclopedia)International Development Association: see International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. ...

chance

(Encyclopedia)chance, in mathematics: see probability. ...

square root

(Encyclopedia)square root: see root, in mathematics. ...

Sylvester II

(Encyclopedia)Sylvester II, c.945–1003, pope (999–1003), a Frenchman (b. Auvergne) named Gerbert; successor of Gregory V. In his youth he studied at Muslim schools in Spain and became learned in mathematics and...

Cayley, Arthur

(Encyclopedia)Cayley, Arthur kāˈlē [key], 1821–95, English mathematician. He was admitted to the bar in 1849. In 1863 he was appointed first Sadlerian professor of mathematics at Cambridge. His researches, whi...

Ewell, Benjamin Stoddert

(Encyclopedia)Ewell, Benjamin Stoddert yo͞oˈəl [key], 1810–94, American educator, b. Georgetown, D.C., grad. West Point, 1832; brother of Gen. R. S. Ewell. He taught mathematics at West Point, Hampden-Sidney C...

Naples, University of

(Encyclopedia)Naples, University of, at Naples, Italy; founded 1224; transferred to Salerno 1252 but returned to Naples 1258. It has faculties of law, economics, letters and philosophy, medicine, pharmacy, mathemat...

Waterloo, University of

(Encyclopedia)Waterloo, University of, at Waterloo, Ont., Canada; nondenominational; founded 1957. It has faculties of arts, science, engineering, environmental studies, applied health sciences, mathematics, and gr...