Augustin-Louis Cauchy
Rigorized calculus and founded complex analysis
Most quoted
"I am a Christian, that is to say, I believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ, like Bossuet and Pascal, like Corneille and Racine, and like so many other great men who have been illustrious in the sciences and in letters. The more I study nature, the more I am amazed at the works of the Creator. The more I study mathematics, the more I admire the wisdom of God."
"The mean value theorem for derivatives states that if a function is continuous on a closed interval and differentiable on the open interval, then there exists at least one point in the open interval where the derivative of the function is equal to the average rate of change of the function over the interval."
— from Cours d'Analyse de l'École Royale Polytechnique, 1821
"A function is continuous if, for every value of the variable between given limits, the numerical value of the difference between two successive values of the function becomes indefinitely small with the numerical value of the difference between the corresponding values of the variable."
— from Cours d'Analyse, 1821
All quotes by Augustin-Louis Cauchy (546)
Death approaches, but legacy endures.
The joy of mathematics is eternal.
Aphorism: Rigor is the soul of mathematics.
In interviews, I stress historical context.
Life's meaning: contribute to knowledge.
Comeback: My theorems need no defense.
Differential forms unify calculus.
Philosophy: Math as divine logic.
The zeta function intrigues with its zeros.
Wisdom: Question all assumptions.
Art of proof: simplicity and power.
Letters on faith and science.
Humor in math: paradoxes amuse.
Key passage: Definition of uniform convergence.
Politics: Monarchy aligns with order.
Personal: Family inspires my work.
Famous saying: Analysis situs is geometry's future.
Speech: Importance of pure math.
Observation: Topology begins with continuity.
Reflection: Aging brings deeper insight.
Contemporaries of Augustin-Louis Cauchy
Other Mathematicss born within 50 years of Augustin-Louis Cauchy (1789–1857).