Pfaff

Johann Friedrich Pfaff

Born: 22 Dec 1765 in Stuttgart, Württemberg (now Germany)
Died: 21 April 1825 in Halle, Saxony (now Germany)

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Pfaff was taught by Kaestner. He was professor of mathematics at Helmstedt from 1788 to 1810 when he was appointed to the chair of mathematics at Halle. He did important work in analysis working on partial differential equations, special functions and the theory of series.

His most important work on Pfaffian forms was published in 1815 but its importance was not recognised until 1827 when Jacobi published a paper on Pfaff's method. Pfaff taught Gauss, who lived in his house in 1798. He recommended Gauss's doctoral thesis.

Among his most important works are Disquisitiones analyticae (1797) and Observationes ad Euleri institutiones calculi integralis .

References:

  1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  2. Biography in Encyclopaedia Britannica
  3. G Kowalewski, Grosse Mathematiker (Munich-Berlin, 1939), 228-247.
  4. K Reich, Miszellen zu Leben und Werk des Mathematikers Johann Freidrich Pfaff (22.12.1765-21.4.1825), in S S Demidov et al. (eds), Amphora : Festschrift for Hans Wussing on the occasion of his 65th birthday (Basel- Boston- Berlin, 1992), 551-595. 
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JOC/EFR February 1996