Did you know the that Newton invented calculus!
I should have asked ‘Do you know calculus?’, first!
Anyway lets avoid controversial questions! And ask more controversial ones!
Did you know that Calculus was actually not only invented by Newton but also by another Mathematician!
In fact we actually use his invention today!
Did you also know that Newton was so affected and vindictive of his competition that he did everything possible to keep his competition at bay! Then again truth is like the gold! It will shine forever!
In the novel Seeing Further by Bill Bryson; he talks about this rivalry and how!
Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz independently invented calculus in the 1670s. Newton invented it first as a tool for physics. Leibniz published his work first. They had a bitter fight over who came first. Leibniz won this fight in the long run. We use his symbols today!
Newton called his system fluxions. He wanted to measure the speed of moving things. He used terms like “fluents” (changing quantities) and “fluxions” (their rates of change).
Leibniz used infinitesimals which are numbers that are infinitely small. They are larger than zero, but smaller than any real number you can name. Think of it like cutting a pizza into a million tiny slices!
The symbols we learn in school come from Leibniz and not Newton!
Leibniz wrote derivatives as fractions! This shows the ratio of tiny changes in y over tiny changes in x!
He wrote integrals as int with a long “S” for summa. It means adding up an infinite number of tiny slices!
Newton used dots and dashes over letters, like ẏ. These are harder to type and use, so modern math classes ignore them!
So we use Leibniz! But who came first!?
Well…
Newton was a secretive man. He did not publish his calculus notes for years. Leibniz figured out the same math on his own ten years later. Leibniz published his work immediately!
When Newton saw Leibniz’s work, he accused Leibniz of cheating. Newton was the head of the Royal Society in London. He used his power to declare himself the first inventor. Historians now agree that both men invented calculus on their own!
Of course Leibniz won in the long term but at a hefty prize! Did you know who Leibniz was until now? While everyone knows Newton! Being the head and being powerful comes with fruits you see! Not everyone can use power judiciously!
Judicious use of talent also is a talent! Like the talented Balamuralikrishna!
Now use calculus to set your alarm! Joking!
Shubh ratri…
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