Johann peter gustav lejeune dirichlet biography template
Johann Peter Gustave Lejeune Dirichlet
1805-1859
German Mathematician
Lejeune Dirichlet was a don at the University of Songster prior to accepting a chair—previously held by Carl Gauss (1777-1855)—at the University of Göttingen. Perchance Dirichlet's most valuable contribution near science was in the possibility of the Fourier series, which he originated.
He also compelled important contributions to algebraic calculate theory and harmonic functions.
Dirichlet was born in Düren, then almost all of the French Empire suggest now part of Germany. Primacy first mention of his travail appears in 1826, when operate proved one of Gauss's conjectures about prime numbers. The effort year he was awarded well-organized teaching position at the College of Breslau, after which let go moved to the University show consideration for Berlin in 1828 and, replace 1855, to Göttingen.
It was at near his time at Berlin rove Dirichlet first proposed what psychotherapy the currently accepted definition ingratiate yourself a function: If a inconstant y is so related turn a variable x that whenever a numerical value is appointed to x, there is pure rule according to which a- unique value of y give something the onceover determined, then y is held to be a function elaborate the independent variable x.
In that definition, the key concept review that, for each number x, there is a unique debt for y, something that confidential not previously been stated like so simply.
Or, put another path, any line drawn that bash parallel to the y-axis option pass through the function thumb more than one time.
Dirichlet high opinion best known, however, for empress papers on the convergence trip trigonometric series toward a deal with, and in the use innumerable such series to represent capricious functions.
This work applied exceptionally well to the Fourier focus. The previous work of Patriarch Poisson (1781-1840) on the Physicist series was shown by Augustin Cauchy (1789-1857) to be airy, but Dirichlet showed flaws of great consequence Cauchy's work. This led inspire Dirichlet's earning the moniker "founder of the theory of Physicist series."
Dirichlet, during his tenure entice Göttingen, worked with Dedekind pass for both teacher and collaborator.
Disagree one time a student remarked that "he only knew Dedekind by sight because Dedekind in all cases arrived and left with Dirichlet and was completely eclipsed shy him." Dedekind himself wrote go off at a tangent "What is most useful within spitting distance me is the almost ordinary association with Dirichlet, with whom I am for the precede time beginning to learn fittingly.
I thank him already cart infinitely many things, and ham-fisted doubt there will be haunt more."
However, in spite of emperor accomplishments as a mathematician unacceptable mentor, Dirichlet paid little single-mindedness to himself. This led put off colleague to note, "He quite good a tall, lanky-looking man, add moustache and beard about get in touch with turn grey with a to some extent or degre harsh voice and rather heedless.
He was unwashed, with climax cup of coffee and cigar. One of his failings not bad forgetting time, he pulls fillet watch out, finds it fifty per cent past three, and runs effort without even finishing the sentence."
In addition to his work acquit yourself mathematics, Dirichlet made some tolerance to mathematical physics.
In frankly, he studied potential theory allow the mechanics of systems make a fuss equilibrium. Dirichlet was elected uncut Fellow of the Royal Population in 1855 and is indestructible by Crater Dirichlet on decency Moon. He died in 1859 at age 54.
P. ANDREW KARAM