Tony+Wicks

1. Rene Descartes big contribution to mathematics is his book Discourse On The Method where he provided a bases for Newton and Leibniz’s Calculus. He applied infinitesimal calculus to the tangent line problem. Descartes Rule of signs is also a commonly used method to determine the number of positive and negative roots of a polynomial.He also made contributions to the field of optics creating the law of refraction. 2. One of Descartes most enduring legacies was his development of Cartesian Geometry which uses algebra to describe geometry he also created subscripts. 3. Maria Gaetana Agnesi is best known from the curve called the witch of Agnesi. Agnesi wrote the equation of this curve in the form y = a*sqrt(a*x-x*x)/x because she considered the x-axis to be the vertical axis and the y-axis to be the horizontal axis [Kennedy]. Reference frames today use x horizontal and y vertical, so the modern form of the curve is given by the Cartesian equation yx2=a2(a-y) or y = a3/(x2 + a2). It is a versed sine curve 4.I would have to say the distance formula is very important in the real world you could plot anything you wanted and find the distance between the two points 1. I would say a scientist and a mathematician are hand and hand and Jhon Kepler proves it because he was many thing.
 * April 29th, 2011 **

**1.**The Greeks did not study algebra as we did there main course of math was geometry and all practical application of there work was not very useful in there everyday lives. They had some different ways of construction then us. They used no ruler just a tool for a straight edge and a compass for the same reasons we do to create arches and circles. They constructed things for there beauty not there useful applications.
 * May 13, 2011 **

**2**. A circle is the usual shape of a tire which we use quite a lot on cars bikes and even on planes. A pentagon is the shape of stop signs and the shape of one of our militaries main buildings. A rectangle is the shape for most of our high rises. Triangle or pyramids are the shape of some of the most famous structures in the world the Egyptian pyramids. Cylinders are the shape of trees electric poles pencils and many other things we use everyday.

3. Euclid was one of the fathers of geometry he also published a book called elements based on geometrical principals. Very little is known about him other then his contributions to mathematics. If I were to talk to this mathematician I would ask why he did not try and give himself more noticeable credit for his work so he could be known for through the years 4. A rhombus sides are corresponding they are not all equal a rhombus can have 4 equal sides making it a square.