Reyneau

Charles René Reyneau

Born: 11 June 1656 in Brissac, Maine-et-Loire, France
Died: 24 Feb 1728 in Paris, France

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Reyneau studied at the Oratorian College in Angers. In 1676 he entered the Maison d'Institution in Paris where he met Malebranche. In 1679 he moved to the Collège de Toulon and, in 1681 he was ordained a priest there.

In 1682 Reyneau was appointed professor of mathematics at the University of Angers. However, in 1705, he had to give up teaching as be became deaf.

Malebranche persuaded Reyneau to write a new textbook to provide instruction in the new mathematics. Reyneau struggled to assimilate the differential and integral calculus participating in debates provoked by Rolle on these topics.

In 1705 he obtained a copy of Lecons prepared by Johann Bernoulli for de l'Hôpital. Reyneau lent some documents to Montmort who lost them. Eventually Reyneau completed his important calculus text Analyse démontrée (1708) from which d'Alembert learnt mathematics.

Other Web sites:

Rice University, USA

References:

  1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  2. B de Fontenelle, Éloge du Père Reyneau, Histoire de l'Académie royale des sciences pour l'année 1728 (1728-29), 112-116. 
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JOC/EFR February 1996