Blaise Pascal 1623-1662

1623. Born in Clermont, France on June 19th, the son of a judge.

1630. Moved to Paris after mothers death. Educated by father and looked after by sisters Gilberte and Jacqueline.

1637. Admitted to the circle of French geometers which became the French Adademy.

1641. Constructed an 'arithmetic machine.'

1647. Patented a calculating machine.

1650. Turned to religion.

1654. Corresponded with Pierre de Fermat and established early probability theory. Had a visionary revelation which caused him to retreat from the world and join his sister in retreat.

1662. Gave up home as act of self-denial and went to live with Gilberte. Died in Paris on August 19th.

Mathematics

• The basics of probability theory (with Pierre de Fermat)
• The geometry of conics, including 'Pascals theorem' on hexagon inscribed in a conic.
• Pascals triangle which give coefficients of the expansion of a binomial.
• The geometry of the cycloid.

Mathwise
Mathematical Biographies
Jeremy Dittmer
© 1995 U.K. Mathematics Courseware consortium