Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal (19 June 1623 – 19 August 1662) was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, writer and Catholic theologian. He was born in Clermont-Ferrand, France. His mother died when he was three years old. His father's name was Étienne. He had two sisters, Jaqueline and Gilberte. Pascal was completely educated by his father.His father was a tax collector. Pascal was considered a child prodigy. Though best known for his works in mathematics, including the creation of Pascal's Triangle, which is named after him, and developments in the field of probability, Pascal was also a scientist. He wrote in support of the scientific method and also contributed to physics. Later he wrote two books about Christianity. Also, the Pascal unit was named after him.
Pascal died in Paris, France at 39. He had several illnesses; it is not known which of them caused his death.
Pascal invented a form of counting machine which helped inventors create the calculator in the 20th century.
Blaise Pascal Media
Maison de Blaise-Pascal à Clermont-Ferrand. *Illustration issue de l'Auvergne historique et artistique, 1934.
An early Pascaline on display at the Musée des Arts et Métiers, Paris
Pascal's triangle. Each number is the sum of the two directly above it. The triangle demonstrates many mathematical properties in addition to showing binomial coefficients.
Pascal studying the cycloid, by Augustin Pajou, 1785, Louvre
An illustration of the (apocryphal) Pascal's barrel experiment
Puy de Dôme near Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne in France.
Florin Périer on the Puy de Dôme
- Anonymous portrait of Blaise Pascal
Man is only a reed...but he is a thinking reed.
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