Famous Mathematicians and Scientists

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. This mathematician said "Cogito, ergo sum". Translated into English, this is "I think, therefore I am". Who uttered these words? Rene Descartes Diophantes of Alexandria Aristotle Archimedes of Syracuse

2. A famous textbook, "The Elements", was still used as recently as the twentieth century. Who was the author of this text? John Dalton Pythagoras Robert Boyle Euclid of Alexandria

3. Many adults today regard Algebra as the least favoured section of their school mathematics. Who can we blame for early works leading to this dreaded subject, algebra? Diophantus of Alexandria Aristotle Jean-Louis Lagrange Albert Einstein

4. When finding the circumference and the area of circles, we recall that this funny number 'pi' is used. Pi is a number which never ends, and in some schools is given as approximately 3.14 or in fraction form as 22/7. Who is credited with the first value for pi, as between 3 10/71 and 3 11/71? Archimedes of Syracuse Eratosthenes Pythagoras Euclid

5. Probably one of the most-remembered things about high school geometry is that one about the right-angled triangles, and that 'hypotenuse', and those other sides. If those sides are H for hypotenuse, A and B for the other sides, then A squared plus B squared equalled H squared. Who was it who wrote this relationship? Isaac Newton Euclid Pythagoras Marquis de Sade

6. Most countries of the world have adopted the Metric System of measurement as their main or sole system of measurement. Who was one of the main people behind the metric system as far back as 1790? Isaac Newton John Hancock Robert Boyle Joseph Louis Lagrange

7. Robert Boyle is credited with a Law which now bears his name. What is the main area with which this Law deals? Relationship between matter and energy Gas pressures and volumes Movement of objects. Gravity

8. Albert Einstein was considered to be a prolific scientist, with work in several fields. Of the following areas of science, which is one in which Einstein is not famed? explanation of capillary action gravitational lensing Wave-particle duality first space satellite

9. The name Trinity has serious implications for humanity. What event in history caused this concern? The death of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva The space shuttle explosion Code name for the first atomic explosion at Alamogordo, New Mexico The moon mission which suffered a fault needing the return of the spacecraft

10. Today we rely on high speed computers for calculations. Who were two very early pioneers in the development of mechanical calculators? Rene Descartes and Christiann Huygens Antoine Arnauld and Luca Pacioli Pierre de Fermat and Girolamo Cardano Blaise Pascal and Wilhelm Schickard