Thomas Simpson
Encyclopedia
Thomas Simpson FRS
(20 August 1710 – 14 May 1761) was a British
mathematician
, inventor and eponym
of Simpson's rule
to approximate definite integrals. The attribution, as often in mathematics, can be debated: this rule had been found 100 years earlier by Johannes Kepler
, and in German is the so-called Keplersche Fassregel.
, Leicestershire
. The son of a weaver, Simpson taught himself mathematics, then turned to astrology
after seeing a solar eclipse
. He also dabbled in divination and caused fits in a girl after 'raising a devil' from her. After this incident, he and his wife had to flee to Derby
. They later moved to London
.
From 1743, he taught mathematics at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
Apparently, the method that became known as Simpson's rule was well known and used earlier by Bonaventura Cavalieri
(a student of Galileo) in 1639, later rediscovered by James Gregory
(who Simpson succeeded as Regius Professor of Mathematics
at the University of St Andrews
) and was only attributed to Simpson.
Simpson was a fellow of the Royal Society
. In 1758, Simpson was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
.
FRS
-Education:* Frontier Regional School, a regional school located in South Deerfield, Massachusetts-Government:*FRS 567 states that, an accountant shall perfom his/ her duty with due care...
(20 August 1710 – 14 May 1761) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, inventor and eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
of Simpson's rule
Simpson's rule
In numerical analysis, Simpson's rule is a method for numerical integration, the numerical approximation of definite integrals. Specifically, it is the following approximation:...
to approximate definite integrals. The attribution, as often in mathematics, can be debated: this rule had been found 100 years earlier by Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer. A key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution, he is best known for his eponymous laws of planetary motion, codified by later astronomers, based on his works Astronomia nova, Harmonices Mundi, and Epitome of Copernican...
, and in German is the so-called Keplersche Fassregel.
Biography
Simpson was born in Market BosworthMarket Bosworth
Market Bosworth is a small market town and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It formerly formed a district known as the Market Bosworth Rural District. In 1974 it merged with the Hinckley Rural District to form a new district named Hinckley and Bosworth...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. The son of a weaver, Simpson taught himself mathematics, then turned to astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
after seeing a solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
. He also dabbled in divination and caused fits in a girl after 'raising a devil' from her. After this incident, he and his wife had to flee to Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. They later moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
From 1743, he taught mathematics at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
Apparently, the method that became known as Simpson's rule was well known and used earlier by Bonaventura Cavalieri
Bonaventura Cavalieri
Bonaventura Francesco Cavalieri was an Italian mathematician. He is known for his work on the problems of optics and motion, work on the precursors of infinitesimal calculus, and the introduction of logarithms to Italy...
(a student of Galileo) in 1639, later rediscovered by James Gregory
James Gregory (astronomer and mathematician)
James Gregory FRS was a Scottish mathematician and astronomer. He described an early practical design for the reflecting telescope – the Gregorian telescope – and made advances in trigonometry, discovering infinite series representations for several trigonometric functions.- Biography :The...
(who Simpson succeeded as Regius Professor of Mathematics
Regius Professor of Mathematics
The Regius Professorship of Mathematics, founded by Charles II, is a professorship at the University of St Andrews. There is currently no Regius Professor of Mathematics...
at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
) and was only attributed to Simpson.
Simpson was a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. In 1758, Simpson was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
.
Works
- Treatise of Fluxions (1737)
- The Nature and Laws of Chance (1740)
- The Doctrine of Annuities and Reversions (1742)
- Mathematical Dissertation on a Variety of Physical and Analytical Subjects (1743)
- A Treatise of Algebra (1745)
- Elements of Geometry (1747)
- Trigonometry, Plane and Spherical (1748)
- Select Exercises in Mathematics (1752)
- Miscellaneous Tracts on Some Curious Subjects in Mechanics, Physical Astronomy and Speculative Mathematics (1757)