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TOP: The Google cartoon contains several of Euler's most famous and important mathematical discoveries. The mathematical constant
e ≈ 2.718281828... is named for Euler (pronounced "oiler").
BOTTOM: Swiss paper currency bearing image of Leonhard Euler.
2 comments:
Please note however that this bill is no longer in use. Haven't seen one in 10 years or so....
Euler was a pioneer. He was involved in many practical mathematcal problems of his day. I think he was involved in the Genesis of what is now known as Geme Theory, the then very pressing issue of the Longitude Problem, the infamous 7 Bridges of Königsberg Problem (VleeptronZ has reported the issue several times) and some other stuff. His family is still around with branches in Switzerland and Russia and the only mathematician I can think of who was honored with a Comic book. We swiss can be very proud of him.
Okay, in THEORY i'm supportive of pan-European currency. It's obvious that the commerce of 20 countries runs much faster and much smoother with one currency rather than 20 difference currencies.
And the coins! I used to have pockets full of useless coins when i took the train around Western Europe, useless in all the phones and candy machines in each new country.
But I miss the old Funny Money. I even miss the old Socialist Hero Czech paper that had the face of a surly, scowling, suspicious soldier brandishing a Kaloshnikov to warn decadent counter-revolutionaries not to try any monkey business.
And my 1000-Guilder Netherlands note with the face of BENEDICT SPINOZA!
Money in your wallet with the face of Leonhard Euler -- this is the money of an educated, civilized, thoughtful country!
Leonhard left so much work that mathematics scholars are STILL studying it and STILL finding new and important stuff!
He spent most of his adult life in St. Petersberg, Russia -- where the best job opportunities were.
It's a wonderful thing to discover a new mathematical truth.
But Euler discovered several entire new BRANCHES of math! Graph Theory -- Topology -- he's their daddy!
What a guy! Happy Birthday!
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