William Oughtred
William Oughtred [1] 5 March 1574 – 30 June 1660) was an English mathematician and Anglican clergyman.
William Oughtred | |
|---|---|
 William Oughtred (1574-1660). Engraving by Wenceslaus Hollar. | |
| Born | 5 March 1574 |
| Died | 30 June 1660 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | English |
| Education | Eton College |
| Alma mater | King's College, Cambridge |
| Known for | Slide rule multiplication "×" sign |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematician |
| Institutions | King's College, Cambridge |
| Notable students | John Wallis Christopher Wren Richard Delamain Seth Ward |
John Napier invented logarithms and Edmund Gunter created the logarithmic scales.[2] Oughtred was the first to use two such scales. He slid one next to another to do direct multiplication and division. He is credited with inventing the slide rule in about 1622.[3]
He also introduced the "×" multiplication sign and the abbreviations "sin" and "cos" for the sine and cosine functions.[4]
References
- pronounced 'OWTred': David Eugene Smith 1923. History of Mathematics p392
- lines, or rules, on which slide rules are based.
- Smith, David E. (1958). History of mathematics. Courier Corporation. p. 205. ISBN 9780486204307.
- Cajori, Florian (1919). A history of mathematics. Macmillan.
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