Algebra Timeline Project

30,000 BCE

Palaeolithic peoples in central Europe and France record numbers on bones.
3000 BCE

Babylonians begin to use a sexagesimal number system for recording financial transactions. It is a place-value system without a zero place valu
2000 BCE

Harappans adopt a uniform decimal system of weights and measures.
1850 BCE

Babylonians know Pythagoras's Theorem.
1750 BCE

The Babylonians solve linear and quadratic algebraic equations, compile tables of square and cube roots. They use Pythagoras's theorem and use mathematics to extend knowledge of astronomy.
360 BCE

Eudoxus of Cnidus develops the theory of proportion, and the method of exhaustion.
127 BCE

Hipparchus discovers the precession of the equinoxes and calculates the length of the year to within 6.5 minutes of the correct value. His astronomical work uses an early form of trigonometry.
1 CE

Chinese mathematician Liu Hsin uses decimal fractions.
150

Ptolemy produces many important geometrical results with applications in astronomy. His version of astronomy will be the accepted one for well over one thousand years
534

Chinese mathematics is introduced into Japan.
850

Thabit ibn Qurra makes important mathematical discoveries such as the extension of the concept of number to (positive) real numbers, integral calculus, theorems in spherical trigonometry, analytic geometry, and non-euclidean geometry.
976

Codex Vigilanus copied in Spain. Contains the first evidence of decimal numbers in Europe
1149

Al-Samawal develops algebra with polynomials using negative powers and zero. He solves quadratic equations, sums the squares of the first n natural numbers, and looks at combinatorial problems.
1200

Chinese start to use a symbol for zero
1335

Richard of Wallingford writes Quadripartitum de sinibus demonstratis, the first original Latin treatise on trigonometry.
1336

Mathematics becomes a compulsory subject for a degree at the University of Paris.
1515

Del Ferro discovers a formula to solve cubic equations.
1533

Frisius publishes a method for accurate surveying using trigonometry. He is the first to propose the triangulation method
1572

Bombelli publishes the first three parts of his Algebra. He is the first to gives the rules for calculating with complex numbers
1590

Cataldi uses continued fractions in finding square roots
1634

Roberval finds the area under the cycloid curve.
1642

Pascal builds a calculating machine to help his father with tax calculations. It performs only additions
1660

Hooke discovers Hooke's law of elasticity
1665

Newton discovers the binomial theorem and begins work on the differential calculus.
1668

Pell gives a table of factors of all integers up to 100000
1685

Kochanski gives an approximate method to find the length of the circumference of a circle
1751

Euler publishes his theory of logarithms of complex numbers
1753

Simson notes that in the Fibonacci sequence the ratio between adjacent numbers approaches the golden ratio.
1768

Lambert publishes his result that π is irrational
1830

Babbage creates the first accurate actuarial tables for use in insurance calculations
1852

Sylvester establishes the theory of algebraic invariants.
1864

London Mathematical Society founded.
1896

The prime number theorem is proved independently by Hadamard and de la Vallée-Poussin. This theorem gives an estimate of the number of primes there are up to a given number, showing that the number of primes less than n tends to infinity as n/log n.
1931

G D Birkhoff proves the general ergodic theorem. This will transform the Maxwell-Boltzmann kinetic theory of gases into a rigorous principle through the use of Lebesgue measure.
1931

Von Mises introduces the idea of a sample space into probability theory.
1960

M Suzuki discovers new infinite families of finite simple groups
1970

Matiyasevich shows that "Hilbert's tenth problem" is unsolvable, namely that there is no general method for determining when polynomial equations have a solution in whole numbers.
1980

The classification of finite simple groups is complete
1994

Wiles proves Fermat's Last Theorem.
2000

A prize of seven million dollars is put up for the solution of seven famous mathematical problems.

Palaeolithic peoples in central Europe and France record numbers on bones.

Babylonians begin to use a sexagesimal number system for recording financial transactions. It is a place-value system without a zero place valu

Harappans adopt a uniform decimal system of weights and measures.

Babylonians know Pythagoras's Theorem.

The Babylonians solve linear and quadratic algebraic equations, compile tables of square and cube roots. They use Pythagoras's theorem and use mathematics to extend knowledge of astronomy.

Eudoxus of Cnidus develops the theory of proportion, and the method of exhaustion.

Hipparchus discovers the precession of the equinoxes and calculates the length of the year to within 6.5 minutes of the correct value. His astronomical work uses an early form of trigonometry.

Chinese mathematician Liu Hsin uses decimal fractions.

Ptolemy produces many important geometrical results with applications in astronomy. His version of astronomy will be the accepted one for well over one thousand years

Chinese mathematics is introduced into Japan.

Thabit ibn Qurra makes important mathematical discoveries such as the extension of the concept of number to (positive) real numbers, integral calculus, theorems in spherical trigonometry, analytic geometry, and non-euclidean geometry.

Codex Vigilanus copied in Spain. Contains the first evidence of decimal numbers in Europe

Al-Samawal develops algebra with polynomials using negative powers and zero. He solves quadratic equations, sums the squares of the first n natural numbers, and looks at combinatorial problems.

Chinese start to use a symbol for zero

Richard of Wallingford writes Quadripartitum de sinibus demonstratis, the first original Latin treatise on trigonometry.

Mathematics becomes a compulsory subject for a degree at the University of Paris.

Del Ferro discovers a formula to solve cubic equations.

Frisius publishes a method for accurate surveying using trigonometry. He is the first to propose the triangulation method

Bombelli publishes the first three parts of his Algebra. He is the first to gives the rules for calculating with complex numbers

Cataldi uses continued fractions in finding square roots

Roberval finds the area under the cycloid curve.

Pascal builds a calculating machine to help his father with tax calculations. It performs only additions

Hooke discovers Hooke's law of elasticity

Newton discovers the binomial theorem and begins work on the differential calculus.

Pell gives a table of factors of all integers up to 100000

Kochanski gives an approximate method to find the length of the circumference of a circle

Euler publishes his theory of logarithms of complex numbers

Simson notes that in the Fibonacci sequence the ratio between adjacent numbers approaches the golden ratio.

Lambert publishes his result that π is irrational

Babbage creates the first accurate actuarial tables for use in insurance calculations

Sylvester establishes the theory of algebraic invariants.

London Mathematical Society founded.

The prime number theorem is proved independently by Hadamard and de la Vallée-Poussin. This theorem gives an estimate of the number of primes there are up to a given number, showing that the number of primes less than n tends to infinity as n/log n.

G D Birkhoff proves the general ergodic theorem. This will transform the Maxwell-Boltzmann kinetic theory of gases into a rigorous principle through the use of Lebesgue measure.

Von Mises introduces the idea of a sample space into probability theory.

M Suzuki discovers new infinite families of finite simple groups

Matiyasevich shows that "Hilbert's tenth problem" is unsolvable, namely that there is no general method for determining when polynomial equations have a solution in whole numbers.

The classification of finite simple groups is complete

Wiles proves Fermat's Last Theorem.

A prize of seven million dollars is put up for the solution of seven famous mathematical problems.