Eratosthenes

Eratosthenes of Cyrene

Born: 276 BC in Cyrene (now Shahhat, Libya)
Died: 197 BC in Alexandria, Egypt

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Eratosthenes was born in Cyrene which is now in Libya. After study in Alexandria and Athens he settled in Alexandria where he was the director of the Library. He worked on geometry and prime numbers. He is best remembered for his prime number sieve which, in modified form, is still an important tool in number theory research.

Eratosthenes also made a surprisingly accurate measurement of the circumference of the Earth. He measured the tilt of the Earth's axis with great accuracy and compiled a star catalogue. He became blind in his old age and is said to have committed suicide by starvation.

References elsewhere in this archive:

Tell me about the sieve of Eratosthenes

References:

  1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  2. Biography in Encyclopaedia Britannica
  3. G Knaack, Eratosthenes, Pauly-Wissowa VI (1907), 358-388. 
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JOC/EFR February 1996