The History of Logarithms

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John Napier and Logarithms John Napier is the inventor of logarithms. As we know, logarithms are highly used in math and are vital components of Algebra. Napier was born in the town of Merchiston, located in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was born in 1550 to Archibald and Janet Napier and died on April 4th, 1617. Napier’s discovery of logarithms- although hundreds of years old- still influences today’s modern math. By hobby, John was an astronomer; he wanted a way to simplify calculations in astronomy, which was one of the main reasons he invented logarithms. The term “logarithm” comes from arithmos- meaning “number” , and logos- meaning “ratio”. Napier’s discovery was not only useful in his time, but our time as well. Today, logarithms are used practically everywhere. Most computers use base 2 logarithms. When combined with e, logarithms are used to figure out compound interest. They are used to measure the intensity of sound as per decibels. They are also applied in the Richter scale, helping you determine the intensities of earthquakes. A unique talent known only to logarithms is that it is the only type of math that can be used to determine the magnitude (brightness) of stars! Logarithmic math is also applied to the pH scale, so we can measure how acidic or basic a substance is. Another useful skill that comes with logarithms is that by using them, price changes in modern economics can be determined easily. When John Napier invented the first logarithm, it was for pure mathematical and astronomical purpose. He used line segments to come up with logarithms; one line segment increased arithmetically, and the other decreased geometrically. Only with the help of other mathematicians did the common logarithm become multi-applicable to a large variety of purposes. The men responsible for collaborating with Napier’s work were not all alive during his period of life. Many

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