Sophie Germain - Mathematicians, Life Achievements and Personal Life
Sophie Germain's Personal Details
Sophie Germain was a French mathematician
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | April 1, 1776 |
| Died on | June 27, 1831 |
| Nationality | French |
| Famous | Scientists, Mathematicians |
| Universities |
|
| Birth Place | Paris |
| Gender | Female |
| Sun Sign | Aries |
| Born in | Paris |
| Famous as | Mathematician |
| Died at Age | 55 |
// Famous Mathematicians
Grigori Perelman
Grigori Perelman is a Russian mathematician who is best known for his contributions to Riemannian geometry and geometric topology. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.
Terence Tao
Terence Tao is an Australian- American mathematician who has contributed enormously to the field of mathematics. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life and achievements.
Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton was an English scientist and mathematician, who discovered gravitation and Newtonian Mechanics. Read this biography to find more on his life.
Sophie Germain's photo
Who is Sophie Germain?
Marie-Sophie Germain was a self-taught French mathematician who worked on many path breaking mathematical theories in the late 18th and early 19th century. Germain could not go to school due to the break out of the French Revolution when she was a child but she did not let that deter her from learning and she taught herself fundamentals of mathematics with the help of books stocked in her father’s library. Sophie Germain worked on number theory and elasticity for years; she also worked on the proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem for years before she was finally able to prove it towards the end of her career. She found it tough to get acceptance as a woman in a field that was then dominated by men and in fact the participation of women wasn’t encouraged; however that did not stop her from pursuing her goals. Sophie Germain corresponded with some of the leading mathematicians of the time using a pseudonym and got on with her work that goes to show the sort of odds she had to fight against in order to have a career as an independent mathematician.
// Famous Scientists
Juliane Koepcke
Juliane Koepcke is a German-Peruvian biologist, who was the lone survivor among the 92 passengers and crew of the ill-fated LANSA Flight 508 that crashed in the Peruvian rainforest on 24 December 1971. Know more about her life in this biography.
Henry Cavendish
Henry Cavendish was a theoretical chemist and physicist, renowned for discovery of hydrogen and calculation of the mass of earth. To know more about his childhood, profile, timeline and career read on
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky was a Russian rocket scientist and a pioneer of astronautics. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, family, personal life, career, achievements, etc.
Childhood & Early Life
Marie-Sophie Germain was born in Paris, France on 1 April 1776 to Ambrose-Francois Germain and Marie-Madeline Germain. There is some dispute regarding the exact occupation of her father but according to most accounts he was either a prosperous merchant who dealt in silks or a goldsmith. She had two sisters; one elder and one younger.
Sophie Germain was only 13 years old when the French Revolution took place and that was the reason why she had to stay indoors due to the highly inflammable atmosphere in Paris. However, she taught herself the fundamentals of mathematics by going through several books on the subject that were kept at her father’s private library.
In 1794, Germain decided to take advantage of the mathematics curriculum at the newly opened Ecole Polytechnique. Although as per rules women were barred from Polytechniqu , she was allowed to get hold of the lectures. Joseph-Louis Legrange, a mathematician at the institute became her mentor. She used a male pseudonym M. LeBlanc in her correspondence so that people could not figure out that she was a woman.
Career
In 1798, Sophie Germain became interested in number theory after going through the book ‘Theorie des Nombres’ published by the mathematician Adrien-Marie Legendre. Germain sent her some of her own ideas on the subject of number theory and elasticity, which the mathematician published as supplement of the second edition of his original book.
After reading Carl Friedrich Gauss’ book ‘Disquisitiones Arithmeticae’, Sophie Germain wrote to the author in 1804 regarding her own ideas in relation to Fermat’s Last Theorem. According to many, Germain’s theories did not have solid proofs and she never got a response from Gauss regarding this subject.
The French Academy of Sciences conducted a mathematics competition in which the contestants had to produce a mathematical explanation in relation to the experiments carried out by the scientist Ernst F.F. Chladini on vibrating plates. Germain submitted her work in 1811, two years after the prize was announced but her paper was rejected. The mathematician Adrien-Marie Legendre stated that Germain’s theory was not a universal one.
Sophie Germain continued to strive for the mathematics prize offered by the French Academy of Sciences and after repeatedly failing to impress the judges; she finally won the prize in 1816 on her paper that dealt with vibrations on curved and planes surfaces. She was the first woman to be bestowed with that prize.
Throughout the latter part of her career Sophie Germain worked on Fermat’s Last Theorem and in collaboration with Legendre she finally got it right in the year 1825. It was the greatest work of Germain’s career. She also studied a bit of philosophy as well as psychology later on in life.
Sophie Germain was diagnosed with breast cancer in the year 1829 but that did not deter her from continuing to work on her theories and two years after being diagnosed; her paper on curvature of elastic surfaces was published in the scientific journal ‘Crelle’s Journal’.
Major Works
Sophie Germain was one of the most important mathematicians of her era. She did pioneering work in her field in number theory and her most important work was that of proving Fermat’s Last Theorem.
Awards & Achievements
Sophie Germain lived in an era when women weren’t encouraged to take up scientific pursuits and hence even though she achieved a lot in her life as a mathematician; she was not awarded with any prize. However, she did go on to become the first woman to win the mathematics prize awarded by the French Academy of Prizes but that wasn’t an award but a prize she won as part of a competition.
Personal Life & Legacy
Sophie Germain remained unmarried all her life and was not known to have had any romantic relationship either.
Sophie Germain died on 27 June 1831 after suffering from breast cancer for two years.
// Famous Aries Celebrities peoples
Skai Jackson
Skai Jackson is an American child actress with huge fan following. Find more about her family & personal life, relationships, facts and more.
Shemar Moore
Shemar Moore is a model turned actor best known for his role in the television series ‘The Young and the Restless’. This biography of Shemar Moore provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Vasily Zaytsev
Vasily Zatysev was a Russian sniper who served during the World War II. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.
Sophie Germain biography timelines
- // 1st Apr 1776Marie-Sophie Germain was born in Paris, France on 1 April 1776 to Ambrose-Francois Germain and Marie-Madeline Germain. There is some dispute regarding the exact occupation of her father but according to most accounts he was either a prosperous merchant who dealt in silks or a goldsmith. She had two sisters; one elder and one younger.
- // 1794In 1794, Germain decided to take advantage of the mathematics curriculum at the newly opened Ecole Polytechnique. Although as per rules women were barred from Polytechniqu , she was allowed to get hold of the lectures. Joseph-Louis Legrange, a mathematician at the institute became her mentor. She used a male pseudonym M. LeBlanc in her correspondence so that people could not figure out that she was a woman.
- // 1798In 1798, Sophie Germain became interested in number theory after going through the book ‘Theorie des Nombres’ published by the mathematician Adrien-Marie Legendre. Germain sent her some of her own ideas on the subject of number theory and elasticity, which the mathematician published as supplement of the second edition of his original book.
- // 1804After reading Carl Friedrich Gauss’ book ‘Disquisitiones Arithmeticae’, Sophie Germain wrote to the author in 1804 regarding her own ideas in relation to Fermat’s Last Theorem. According to many, Germain’s theories did not have solid proofs and she never got a response from Gauss regarding this subject.
- // 1811The French Academy of Sciences conducted a mathematics competition in which the contestants had to produce a mathematical explanation in relation to the experiments carried out by the scientist Ernst F.F. Chladini on vibrating plates. Germain submitted her work in 1811, two years after the prize was announced but her paper was rejected. The mathematician Adrien-Marie Legendre stated that Germain’s theory was not a universal one.
- // 1816Sophie Germain continued to strive for the mathematics prize offered by the French Academy of Sciences and after repeatedly failing to impress the judges; she finally won the prize in 1816 on her paper that dealt with vibrations on curved and planes surfaces. She was the first woman to be bestowed with that prize.
- // 1825Throughout the latter part of her career Sophie Germain worked on Fermat’s Last Theorem and in collaboration with Legendre she finally got it right in the year 1825. It was the greatest work of Germain’s career. She also studied a bit of philosophy as well as psychology later on in life.
- // 1829Sophie Germain was diagnosed with breast cancer in the year 1829 but that did not deter her from continuing to work on her theories and two years after being diagnosed; her paper on curvature of elastic surfaces was published in the scientific journal ‘Crelle’s Journal’.
- // 27th Jun 1831Sophie Germain died on 27 June 1831 after suffering from breast cancer for two years.
// Famous French peoples
Simone Signoret
Simone Signoret was a French actress who became the first French person to win an Academy Award. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and other facts related to her life.
Jade Weber
Scroll down this bio to find out everything about French model Jade Weber. Be it fun facts, birthday, trivia or details of her personal and family life, you’ll find everything here.
Micheline Roquebrune
Micheline Roquebrune is a petite Moroccan-French painter best known as the third wife the legendary Scottish actor Sir Sean Connery. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.
Alex Lange
Alex Lange is a French-South African model, who is quite popular on Instagram. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.
Tina Kunakey
Tina Kunakey Di Vita is a model and wife of the French actor Vincent Cassel. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.
Jeanne Calment
Jeanne Calment was a French supercentenarian who had the longest confirmed lifespan in human history. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family, personal life, death, etc.
Sophie Germain's FAQ
What is Sophie Germain birthday?
Sophie Germain was born at 1776-04-01
When was Sophie Germain died?
Sophie Germain was died at 1831-06-27
Where was Sophie Germain died?
Sophie Germain was died in Paris
Which age was Sophie Germain died?
Sophie Germain was died at age 55
Where is Sophie Germain's birth place?
Sophie Germain was born in Paris
What is Sophie Germain nationalities?
Sophie Germain's nationalities is French
What was Sophie Germain universities?
Sophie Germain studied at École Polytechnique
What is Sophie Germain's sun sign?
Sophie Germain is Aries
How famous is Sophie Germain?
Sophie Germain is famouse as Mathematician