DESCARTES Connecting Algebra And Geometry

French philosopher, mathematician, scientist, and writer. He has been dubbed the "Father of Modern Philosophy,"

Biography “ I think, Therefore I am” Every time you graph a line in a coordinate plane,you are using the work of René Descartes. Descartes, a French mathematician and philosopher. He was born in La Haye, France on March 31, 1596. His parents taught him at home until he was 8 years old, when he entered the Jesuit college of La Flèche. There he continued his studies until he graduated at age 18.

Descartes was an outstanding student at La Flèche, especially in mathematics. Because of his delicate health, his teachers allowed him to stay in bed until late morning. Despite missing most of his morning classes was able to keep up with his studies. He would continue the habit of staying late in bed for his entire adult life. After graduating from La Flèche, Descartes traveled to Paris and eventually enrolled at the University of Poitiers. He graduated with a law degree in 1616 and then enlisted in a military. In 1619, he joined the Bavarian army and spent the next nine years as a soldier, touring throughout much of Europe in between military campaigns. Descartes eventually settled in Holland, where he spent most of the rest of his life. There Descartes gave up a military career and decided on a life of mathematics and philosophy.

In 1637 Descartes published his masterwork, Discourse on the Method of Reasoning Well and Seeking Truth in the Sciences. One chapter called, In La Géometrie, Descartes described what is now known as the system of Cartesian Coordinates, or coordinate geometry. In Descartes's system of coordinates, geometry and algebra were united for the first time to create what is known as analytic geometry.

Does this look familiar? Thanks to Descartes, we can graph a line using an algebraic Equation , Y = MX + B

Thanks to Descartes – we know all about slope!

The Queen was even interested in his ideas!

He was born and went to school in France, BUT……

He settled and studied further studied Math and Philosophy in Holland

He was so famous, his picture was on French money!

3 Cheers For Descartes You are a Cool cat, man