Traian Lalescu
Encyclopedia
Traian Lalescu was a Romania
n mathematician
. His main focus was on integral equations and he contributed to work in the areas of functional equation
s, trigonometric series
, mathematical physics
, geometry
, mechanics
, algebra
, and the history of mathematics
.
in Craiova
, continuing high school in Roman
and Iaşi
. After entering the University of Iaşi, he completed his undergraduate studies in 1903 at the University of Bucharest
.
He earned his Ph.D.
in Mathematics from the University of Paris
in 1908. His dissertation, Sur les équations de Volterra
, was written under the direction of Émile Picard
. In 1911, he published Introduction to the Theory of Integral Equations, the first book ever on the subject of integral equation
s.
He was a professor at the University of Bucharest
, the Polytechnic University of Timişoara
(where he was the first rector
, in 1920), and the Polytechnic University of Bucharest
.
There are several institutions bearing his name, including Colegiul Naţional de Informatică Traian Lalescu in Hunedoara
and Liceul Teoretic Traian Lalescu in Reşiţa
. There is also a Traian Lalescu Street in Timişoara.
The National Mathematics Contest Traian Lalescu for undergraduate students is also named after him.
A statue of Lalescu, executed in 1930 by Cornel Medrea
, is situated in front of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, in Timişoara.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n mathematician
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....
. His main focus was on integral equations and he contributed to work in the areas of functional equation
Functional equation
In mathematics, a functional equation is any equation that specifies a function in implicit form.Often, the equation relates the value of a function at some point with its values at other points. For instance, properties of functions can be determined by considering the types of functional...
s, trigonometric series
Trigonometry
Trigonometry is a branch of mathematics that studies triangles and the relationships between their sides and the angles between these sides. Trigonometry defines the trigonometric functions, which describe those relationships and have applicability to cyclical phenomena, such as waves...
, mathematical physics
Mathematical physics
Mathematical physics refers to development of mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The Journal of Mathematical Physics defines this area as: "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods suitable for such applications and...
, geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
, mechanics
Mechanics
Mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment....
, algebra
Algebra
Algebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
, and the history of mathematics
History of mathematics
The area of study known as the history of mathematics is primarily an investigation into the origin of discoveries in mathematics and, to a lesser extent, an investigation into the mathematical methods and notation of the past....
.
Life
He went to the Carol I High SchoolCarol I High School
The Carol I National College is a high school located in central Craiova, Romania, on Titu Maiorescu street. It is one of the most prestigious secondary education institutions in Romania.-History:...
in Craiova
Craiova
Craiova , Romania's 6th largest city and capital of Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians and the River Danube . Craiova is the chief...
, continuing high school in Roman
Roman, Romania
Roman is a mid-sized city, having the title of municipality, located in the central part of Moldavia, a traditional region of Romania. It is located 46 km east of Piatra Neamţ, in the Neamţ County at the confluence of Siret and Moldova rivers....
and Iaşi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
. After entering the University of Iaşi, he completed his undergraduate studies in 1903 at the University of Bucharest
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest , in Romania, is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former Saint Sava Academy into the current University of Bucharest.-Presentation:...
.
He earned his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Mathematics from the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
in 1908. His dissertation, Sur les équations de Volterra
Volterra integral equation
In mathematics, the Volterra integral equations are a special type of integral equations. They are divided into two groups referred to as the first and the second kind.A linear Volterra equation of the first kind is f = \int_a^t K\,x\,ds...
, was written under the direction of Émile Picard
Charles Émile Picard
Charles Émile Picard FRS was a French mathematician. He was elected the fifteenth member to occupy seat 1 of the Académie Française in 1924.- Biography :...
. In 1911, he published Introduction to the Theory of Integral Equations, the first book ever on the subject of integral equation
Integral equation
In mathematics, an integral equation is an equation in which an unknown function appears under an integral sign. There is a close connection between differential and integral equations, and some problems may be formulated either way...
s.
He was a professor at the University of Bucharest
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest , in Romania, is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former Saint Sava Academy into the current University of Bucharest.-Presentation:...
, the Polytechnic University of Timişoara
Polytechnic University of Timisoara
The "Politehnica" University of Timişoara was founded on November 11, 1920. It is one of the largest technical universities in Central and Eastern Europe.The university has 10 faculties and several independent departments....
(where he was the first rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
, in 1920), and the Polytechnic University of Bucharest
Polytechnic University of Bucharest
Universitatea Politehnica din Bucureşti is a technical university in Bucharest, Romania. It was founded in 1864 based on the older technical school of Gheorghe Lazăr and it was renamed "Politehnica" in 1920.-History:...
.
The Lalescu sequence
Legacy
Hunedoara
Hunedoara is a city in Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located in southeastern Transylvania near the Poiana Ruscă Mountains, and administers five villages: Boş, Groş, Hăşdat, Peştişu Mare and Răcăştia....
and Liceul Teoretic Traian Lalescu in Reşiţa
Resita
' is a city in western Romania and the capital of Caraş-Severin County, in the Banat region. Its 2004 population was 83,985.- Etymology :The name of Reşiţa, might comes from the Latin recitia, meaning "cold spring", as the great historian Nicolae Iorga once suggested, presuming that the Romans...
. There is also a Traian Lalescu Street in Timişoara.
The National Mathematics Contest Traian Lalescu for undergraduate students is also named after him.
A statue of Lalescu, executed in 1930 by Cornel Medrea
Cornel Medrea
Cornel Medrea was a Romanian sculptor.He won numerous awards, including Honorary Diploma at the Barcelona International Exhibition, 1929; Great Prize at the Paris International Exhibition, 1937; International Prize at the New York Exhibition, 1939; National Prize for Sculpture, 1945; State Prize,...
, is situated in front of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, in Timişoara.
Work
- T. Lalesco, Introduction à la théorie des équations intégrales. Avec une préface de É. Picard, Paris: A. Hermann et Fils, 1912. VII + 152 pp. JFM entry
- Traian Lalescu, Introducere la teoria ecuaţiilor integrale, Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, 1956. 134 pp. (A reprint of the first edition [Bucharest, 1911], with a bibliography taken from the French translation [Paris, 1912]).
External links
- "Representative Figures of the Romanian Science and Technology" "Traian Lalescu", from Colegiul Naţional de Informatică Traian Lalescu, Hunedoara "Cine a fost Traian Lalescu?", from Liceul Teoretic Traian Lalescu, Reşiţa "Monumentul lui Traian Lalescu (1930)", at infotim.ro
- A Class of Applications of AM-GM Inequality (From a 2004 Putnam Competition Problem to Lalescu’s Sequence) by Wladimir G. Boskoff and Bogdan Suceava, Australian Math. Society Gazette, 33 (2006), No.1, 51-56.