Charles Hermite

Charles Hermite was a French mathematician born on December 24, 1822, and passed away on January 14, 1901. He made important contributions to the fields of analysis, number theory, and algebra. One of his most famous accomplishments was proving that the number e is transcendental, meaning it cannot be a solution to any algebraic equation with integer coefficients. His work helped shape modern mathematics and inspired many mathematicians who came after him. Hermite was recognized for his achievements and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society and a member of several other important scientific groups.

Life

Charles Hermite was born on December 24, 1822, in Dieuze, Moselle. He was the sixth of seven children. His father worked in a drapery business and was also an artist. The family moved to Nancy when Hermite was young.

Hermite studied at schools in Nancy and Paris, where he read works by famous mathematicians. He wanted to attend the École Polytechnique, a top school for math and science, but was not allowed to continue because of a foot problem. After studying on his own for five years, he passed his exams in 1847 and married the sister of a friend, Joseph Bertrand, in 1848.

Hermite later taught at the École Polytechnique and the University of Paris. He was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 1848 and became a grand officer in the French Legion of Honour on his 70th birthday. He died in Paris on January 14, 1901, at the age of 78.

Contribution to mathematics

Charles Hermite made many important discoveries in mathematics. In 1842, he gave a simple proof of a big math rule called the Abel-Ruffini theorem. This rule says that some equations of the fifth degree cannot be solved with regular math steps.

Hermite also worked a lot with special math functions, and he helped create new ideas about matrices and their properties. In 1873, he showed that the number e, which is the base of natural logarithms, cannot be written as a root of a regular math equation. This was a big discovery in number theory.

Publications

Here is a list of works by Charles Hermite:

• "Sur quelques applications des fonctions elliptiques", Paris, 1855.
• "Cours d'Analyse de l'École Polytechnique. Première Partie", Paris: Gauthier–Villars, 1873.
• "Cours professé à la Faculté des Sciences", edited by Andoyer, 4th ed., Paris, 1891.
• "Correspondance", edited by Baillaud and Bourget, Paris, 1905, 2 vols.
• "Œuvres de Charles Hermite", edited by Picard for the Academy of Sciences, 4 vols., Paris: Gauthier–Villars, 1905, 1908, 1912 and 1917.
• "Œuvres de Charles Hermite", reissued by Cambridge University Press, 2009; ISBN 978-1-108-00328-5.

Quotations

Charles Hermite, a great mathematician, believed that math truths exist in a world we can only reach with our minds, much like the real world around us.

He also said that trying to prove a special number called π is very hard and would take a lot of effort.

One person described him as someone who looks inside himself to find truth, unlike another mathematician who used lots of hand gestures.

Another mathematician admired Hermite’s amazing discoveries, feeling surprised that anyone could think of such ideas.

Hermite also wrote about some tricky math ideas that made him feel scared and upset.

Legacy

Charles Hermite is remembered for his important work in mathematics. Besides having several math ideas named after him, there is even a feature on the Moon called the Hermite crater, located near the Moon's north pole, that carries his name.