Arthur Lee Dixon
Encyclopedia
Arthur Lee Dixon FRS (27 November 1867 — 20 February 1955) was a British mathematician and holder of the Waynflete Professorship of Pure Mathematics at the University of Oxford
. The younger brother of Alfred Cardew Dixon
, he was educated at Kingswood School
and Worcester College, Oxford
, becoming a Tutorial Fellow at Merton College
in 1898 and the Waynflete Professor in 1922. Dixon was the last mathematical professor at Oxford to hold a life tenure, and although he was not particularly noted for his mathematical innovations he did publish many papers on analytic number theory
and the application of algebra to geometry, elliptic functions and hyperelliptic functions. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1912 and serving as President of the London Mathematical Society
from 1924 to 1926, Dixon died on 20 February 1955.
to G.T. Dixon, and was the younger brother of Alfred Cardew Dixon
. From 1879 to 1885 he studied at Kingswood School
, before matriculating at Worcester College, Oxford
as a scholar to study mathematics. In 1898 he became a Tutorial Fellow at Merton College
, and in 1899 he graduated.
His research was focused on alegebra and its application to geometry, elliptic functions and hyperelliptic functions. From 1908 onwards he published a series of papers on algebraic eliminants
. He also published a dozen joint papers with W.L. Ferrar on analytic number theory
. Dixon was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1912, and became President of the London Mathematical Society
in 1924, a position he held for two years. Dixon died on 20 February 1955.
, where he spent the rest of his life.
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. The younger brother of Alfred Cardew Dixon
Alfred Cardew Dixon
Alfred Cardew Dixon FRS was an English mathematician.Dixon was born on May 22, 1865 in Northallerton, Yorkshire, England. He studied at the University of London and graduated with an MA. He entered Trinity College, Cambridge in 1883 and graduated as Senior Wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos in 1886...
, he was educated at Kingswood School
Kingswood School
Kingswood School, referred to as 'Kingswood', is an independent day and boarding school located in Bath, Somerset, England. The school is coeducational and educates some 950 children aged 3 to 18. It is notable for being founded by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, in 1748...
and Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
, becoming a Tutorial Fellow at Merton College
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
in 1898 and the Waynflete Professor in 1922. Dixon was the last mathematical professor at Oxford to hold a life tenure, and although he was not particularly noted for his mathematical innovations he did publish many papers on analytic number theory
Analytic number theory
In mathematics, analytic number theory is a branch of number theory that uses methods from mathematical analysis to solve problems about the integers. It is often said to have begun with Dirichlet's introduction of Dirichlet L-functions to give the first proof of Dirichlet's theorem on arithmetic...
and the application of algebra to geometry, elliptic functions and hyperelliptic functions. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1912 and serving as President of the London Mathematical Society
London Mathematical Society
-See also:* American Mathematical Society* Edinburgh Mathematical Society* European Mathematical Society* List of Mathematical Societies* Council for the Mathematical Sciences* BCS-FACS Specialist Group-External links:* * *...
from 1924 to 1926, Dixon died on 20 February 1955.
Early life and education
Dixon was born on 27 November 1867 in Pickering, North YorkshirePickering, North Yorkshire
Pickering is an ancient market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of the county of North Yorkshire, England, on the border of the North York Moors National Park. It sits at the foot of the Moors, overlooking the Vale of Pickering to the south...
to G.T. Dixon, and was the younger brother of Alfred Cardew Dixon
Alfred Cardew Dixon
Alfred Cardew Dixon FRS was an English mathematician.Dixon was born on May 22, 1865 in Northallerton, Yorkshire, England. He studied at the University of London and graduated with an MA. He entered Trinity College, Cambridge in 1883 and graduated as Senior Wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos in 1886...
. From 1879 to 1885 he studied at Kingswood School
Kingswood School
Kingswood School, referred to as 'Kingswood', is an independent day and boarding school located in Bath, Somerset, England. The school is coeducational and educates some 950 children aged 3 to 18. It is notable for being founded by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, in 1748...
, before matriculating at Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
as a scholar to study mathematics. In 1898 he became a Tutorial Fellow at Merton College
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
, and in 1899 he graduated.
Waynflete Professorship
His fellowship allowed him to continue to study and work at Oxford until 1922, when he was appointed Waynflete Professor of Pure Mathematics. Dixon was the last mathematician elected to an Oxford Chair with a life tenure.His research was focused on alegebra and its application to geometry, elliptic functions and hyperelliptic functions. From 1908 onwards he published a series of papers on algebraic eliminants
Elimination theory
In commutative algebra and algebraic geometry, elimination theory is the classical name for algorithmic approaches to eliminating between polynomials of several variables....
. He also published a dozen joint papers with W.L. Ferrar on analytic number theory
Analytic number theory
In mathematics, analytic number theory is a branch of number theory that uses methods from mathematical analysis to solve problems about the integers. It is often said to have begun with Dirichlet's introduction of Dirichlet L-functions to give the first proof of Dirichlet's theorem on arithmetic...
. Dixon was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1912, and became President of the London Mathematical Society
London Mathematical Society
-See also:* American Mathematical Society* Edinburgh Mathematical Society* European Mathematical Society* List of Mathematical Societies* Council for the Mathematical Sciences* BCS-FACS Specialist Group-External links:* * *...
in 1924, a position he held for two years. Dixon died on 20 February 1955.
Personal life
In 1902 Dixon married Catherine Rieder. Catherine found the atmosphere in Oxford difficult for her health, and spent a lot of time in Pau to recover. The couple had one child, a daughter, who later married F.J. Baden Fuller; when Catherine died in 1930, Dixon moved in with his daughter and her husband in Sandgate, KentSandgate, Kent
Sandgate is a village in the Folkestone and Hythe Urban Area in the Shepway district of Kent, England. In 2004, the village re-acquired civil parish status....
, where he spent the rest of his life.