Bell

Eric Temple Bell

Born: 7 Feb 1883 in Aberdeen, Scotland
Died: 21 Dec 1960 in Watsonville, California, USA

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Bell lived from 1903 in USA. He was educated at Stanford University, the University of Washington and received his doctorate from Columbia University (1912). Bell taught at the University of Washington from 1912 until 1926, when he became professor of mathematics at the California Institute of Technology.

Bell wrote several popular books on the history of mathematics. He also made contributions to analytic number theory, Diophantine analysis and numerical functions. Although he wrote 250 research papers, one of which received the Bôcher Prize in 1921, Bell is best remembered for his books.

His books Algebraic Arithmetic (1927) and The Development of Mathematics (1940) became classics. At a lower level he wrote books which include Men of Mathematics (1937) and Mathematics, Queen and Servant of Science (1951). Bell also wrote science fiction under the name John Taine.

References:

  1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  2. Biography in Encyclopaedia Britannica
  3. A Broadbent, Eric Temple Bell, Nature 4763 (1961).
  4. C Reid, The search for E T Bell, also known as John Taine (Washington D.C., 1993). 
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JOC/EFR February 1996