Fincke

Thomas Fincke

Born: 6 Jan 1561 in Flensburg, Denmark (now Germany)
Died: 24 April 1656 in Copenhagen, Denmark

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Fincke attended seven universities and, in 1591, became professor of mathematics at Copenhagen. His most famous book Geometriae rotundi (1583), was intended as a textbook and the reader is referred to Regiomontanus for more details.

Based on works of Ramus from whom he took the word 'radius', the book introduces the terms 'tangents' and 'secants' and Fincke devised new formulas such as the law of tangents. His book was recommended by Clavius, Napier and Pitiscus all of whom adopted much from it. His other books on astronomy and astrology are of much less interest despite the fact that he was in touch with Kepler.

References elsewhere in this archive:

Tell me about trigonometric notation

Other Web sites:

Rice University, USA

References:

  1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  2. N Nielsen, Matematikken i Danmark 1528-1800 (Copenhagen, 1912), 69-70. 
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JOC/EFR February 1996