Who Created Calculus? 

Throughout the history of mathematics, there has been much debate over who created calculus. It’s true that several mathematicians contributed to the development of the science. However, there has been one person in particular who is most closely associated with the invention of this mathematical system: Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz. A mathematician and a philosopher, Leibniz was born in Leipzig, Germany on July 1, 1646. He studied law and philosophy in his early years, but eventually focused on mathematics. After earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Leipzig in 1663, he continued studying and obtaining master’s degrees in both fields. 

The origins of calculus can be traced back to ancient Egyptians. Although the basic ideas in calculus were developed much earlier, the term ‘calculus’ wasn’t coined until the 17th century. Today, it is used in various fields to solve real world problems. As a mathematical tool, it is considered vital in many engineering fields. 

Calculus is a scientific method that helps determine the area of a curve under a given set of conditions. There are many different methods for doing this. Some are heuristic. Other methods, such as Cavalieri’s quadrature formula, are more formal. In any case, the idea of a sloped line approximation was the basis of calculus. Using this technique, an infinite number of sloped lines can be calculated. 

During the seventeenth century, the use of calculus exploded. While the initial concept was a simple one, it quickly evolved into a powerful mathematical toolbox. The rise of calculus brought an entirely new era to mathematics, and it paved the way for modern math. 

Unlike algebra, which can be solved by calculating the change in a single variable, calculus allows the calculation of the change in numerous variables. This notation made it easier to generalize the method to a variety of variables. Because of this, it is used in engineering, the medical industry, and many other applications. 

Several different men have contributed to the development of the science. Archimedes, for example, was one of the first to work on the subject. He was also the first to introduce the method of exhaustion. Similarly, Brahmagupta and Bhaskaracharya II worked on integrals and derivatives. They used the method of quadratic interpolation to calculate the sine values of angles. 

Gottfried Koch, another 17th-century mathematician, played a vital role in the development of the theory of calculus. He formulated the notation of infinitesimals, which he used in his differential and integral calculus. His work also included logical symbolism, which helped to explain how motion could have an imaginary component. 

Another major contributor to calculus was Pierre de Fermat. He independently discovered the method of determining the tangents of curves other than the circle. Later, this discovery was incorporated into Newton’s integral calculus. 

Finally, there is the Italian mathematician, Bonaventura Cavalieri. He also discovered the infinitesimal method. According to Cavalieri, an infinitesimal is an area under a curve which is based on an indefinite number of parallel planar areas.