Archimedes of Syracuse

Mathematics Greek -287 – -212 332 quotes

A brilliant ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer, known for his work on buoyancy and levers.

Quotes by Archimedes of Syracuse

The power of numbers can be extended to describe even the largest quantities.

The Sand Reckoner

The properties of fluids can be understood through mathematical principles.

On Floating Bodies

The study of geometry is not merely abstract but has practical applications.

His engineering feats and military inventions

The use of mirrors can concentrate sunlight to ignite objects.

Historical accounts of the burning mirrors of Syracuse

Complex machines can be built from simple principles.

His inventions like the screw pump and war machines

The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake is a noble endeavor.

His dedication to pure mathematics over practical applications

The Earth is a sphere, and its center is the center of gravity for all bodies.

On Floating Bodies, Book I, Postulate 1 & 2

The method of exhaustion, when applied rigorously, can yield exact results.

His proofs in Quadrature of the Parabola and On the Sphere and Cylinder

The properties of solids immersed in fluids are governed by precise mathematical laws.

On Floating Bodies

The concept of infinity, while challenging, can be approached through systematic methods.

The Sand Reckoner (dealing with very large numbers)

The universe is a vast and ordered system, understandable through reason and mathematics.

The Sand Reckoner and his astronomical interests

The study of mechanics is a branch of mathematics.

On the Equilibrium of Planes