John Napier
John Napier- Discoverer of Logarithms
John Napier (1550-1617). Born at Merchiston Castle, Edinburgh, the son of Sir Archibald Napier (1534-1608), he matriculated from St Andrews University in 1563. After travelling on the Continent, he took up a life of scientific research and literary study. His first works were a catholic output of theology, ideas for land and sea war machines, and innovations in land-husbandry. His invention of logarithms - a system of mathematical tables to abridge lengthy calculation - was described in 1614 in Mirifici Logarithmorum Canonis Descriptio ('The Construction of the wonderful Canon of Logarithms') (pub. 1619). In 1617 he published Rabdologiae seu Numerationes per Virgulas Libri Duo ('Two Books on Calculations by Means of Rods'), in which he showed how calculations could be made using ivory rods and metal plates; this was the first attempt at producing a calculating machine: his invention was called 'Napier's Bones'.
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