Nicolas Fuss
Encyclopedia
Nicolas Fuss also known as Nikolai Fuss, was a Swiss mathematician
.
Fuss was born in Basel, Switzerland. He moved to Saint Petersburg
to serve as a mathematical assistant to Leonhard Euler
from 1773–1783, and remained there until his death. He contributed to spherical trigonometry
, differential equation
s, the optics of microscope
s and telescope
s, differential geometry, and actuarial science
. He also contributed to Euclidean geometry
, including the problem of Apollonius
.
In 1797, he was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
. From 1800–1826, Fuss served as the permanent secretary to the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg. He died in St. Petersburg.
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
.
Fuss was born in Basel, Switzerland. He moved to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
to serve as a mathematical assistant to Leonhard Euler
Leonhard Euler
Leonhard Euler was a pioneering Swiss mathematician and physicist. He made important discoveries in fields as diverse as infinitesimal calculus and graph theory. He also introduced much of the modern mathematical terminology and notation, particularly for mathematical analysis, such as the notion...
from 1773–1783, and remained there until his death. He contributed to spherical trigonometry
Spherical trigonometry
Spherical trigonometry is a branch of spherical geometry which deals with polygons on the sphere and the relationships between the sides and the angles...
, differential equation
Differential equation
A differential equation is a mathematical equation for an unknown function of one or several variables that relates the values of the function itself and its derivatives of various orders...
s, the optics of microscope
Microscope
A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy...
s and telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
s, differential geometry, and actuarial science
Actuarial science
Actuarial science is the discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in the insurance and finance industries. Actuaries are professionals who are qualified in this field through education and experience...
. He also contributed to Euclidean geometry
Euclidean geometry
Euclidean geometry is a mathematical system attributed to the Alexandrian Greek mathematician Euclid, which he described in his textbook on geometry: the Elements. Euclid's method consists in assuming a small set of intuitively appealing axioms, and deducing many other propositions from these...
, including the problem of Apollonius
Problem of Apollonius
In Euclidean plane geometry, Apollonius' problem is to construct circles that are tangent to three given circles in a plane . Apollonius of Perga posed and solved this famous problem in his work ; this work has been lost, but a 4th-century report of his results by Pappus of Alexandria has survived...
.
In 1797, he was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
. From 1800–1826, Fuss served as the permanent secretary to the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg. He died in St. Petersburg.