Biography Of John Napier

Have you ever put thought of who is responsible for all these mathematical equations you see daily in school or throughout life? John Napier is a mathematician who is the creator of logarithms, the decimal’s modern notations, and the popular invention of napier bones. He was born in 1550 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the son of Sir Archibald Napier. They were a family of privilege and wealth, so he had a more than adequate education and lifestyle. He used his brilliant mind not only for math, but also contributed to the Spanish conquest by building weapons. John Napier is regarded as a genius in mathematics, and is respected greatly for his inventions and contributions to mathematics.

John Napier’s childhood is interesting because his family was prominent in the late 16th century. They owned estates in Merchiston, Lennox, Menteith, and a residence in Gartness. His father married when he was fifteen, and John Napier was born in the following year. Very little is actually known about John Napier’s childhood because there was not many records kept or found. However, there is a significant document that his uncle, the Bishop of Orkney, wrote a letter to Archibald Napier advising him to let John Napier attend college. John Napier was homeschooled until he was 13, and he would have probably continued if his uncle had not wrote a letter to his father. Bishop of Orkney’s letter to Archibald Napier, “I pray you, schir, to send your son Jhone to the schuyllis; oyer to France or Flandaris; for he can leyr na guid at home, nor get na proffeitt in this most perullous worlde…”, and if it wasn’t for this letter than maybe John Napier would never have been a famous mathematician and scholar.

What age does the average person attend college? We...

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...Napier had so many achievements in his lifetime he did not receive any awards of recognition at all. John napier had built four weapons that were crucial at the time of the Spanish conquest. John Napier built an Artillery piece which consisted of a battle vehicle covered with metal plates and small openings for odious smoke and fire with two kinds of burning mirrors. The vehicle had to be driven by two men from the inside. Nearing the end of his life some religious groups who John Napier had controversies with would spread rumors that he was in league with powers of darkness. Rabdologiae; seu Numerationes per Virgulas libri duo is the last of his book of his lifetime in 1617 before his death. He later died the same year 1617 on April 4th. We see objects daily that use methods similar to his napier bones like analog computers. John Napier was a great mathematician.