Tartaglia

1995/08/02 Azkune Mendia, Iñaki - Elhuyar Fundazioa | Kaltzada, Pili - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Biografiak

(1499-1557)

The real name of Tartaglia was Niccolo Fontana. Italian mathematician born in Brescia in 1499. In 1512, French troops conquered Brescia and a soldier in attack broke his jaw and palate with swords. Consequently, he had difficulty speaking and was called Tartaglia (tartaglia).

Tartaglia, however, had nothing to think about (and especially mathematically). Therefore, he taught mathematics at several universities in northern Italy and from 1534 in Venice.

Tartaglia found the solution of cubic ^equations in form x3 ⁺ px2 = n, equation that has no term x. In 1533 he discussed this discovery with mathematician Antonio Maria Piora. Fior was a pupil of the mathematics professor of Bologna (Scipione del Ferro). Del Ferro discovered the solution of cubic equations type x3 ⁺ mx + n = 0 (equation that did not ^have the term x2), but the master hid his discovery. Before he died, however, he informed the student Fior of the solution.

When Fior discovered that he had a solution, Tartaglia tried on her own and found her alone winning the challenge she had with Fior. Although Tartaglia hid his discovery.

In 1537 he had completed the book Nova Scientia and published it. It was an Artileria treaty, an important pioneering work in the resolution of the laws of falling bodies. It was the first published book on the theory of Ballistics, since although previously Leonardo da Vinci had done another, it was not published.

According to Tartaglia, the projectile initially came out through the mouth of the cannon with a "violent movement" and at the end of its journey it fell through the "natural movement". Between these two phases there was a "mixed movement" zone. In fact, leaving aside this theory, Galileo established a century later the authentic foundations of ballistics.

When it was published, Girolamo Cardano, professor of physics based in Milano, asked him to publish the system of solving cubic equations. Tartaglia initially refused, but then, hoping to be a wool adviser to the Spanish army, he communicated to Cardano the resolution of equations with the promise to keep it secret.

In 1545, however, Cardano published in his book Artis magnae (Major Arts) a resolution. For his part, Tartaglia, in his book Quesiti et inventioni diverse (Some problems and invention), revealed in 1546 the break of the secret and, subsequently, maintained an exchange of letters with Ludovico Ferrari, student of, defending his position. His clash ended in 1548 with a public debate in which Ferrari won.

Tartaglia left her teaching post in Brescia to return to Venice. His best-known work is Trattato di numeri et misure. This encyclopedia, which collects basic mathematics, was published in three volumes between 1556 and 1560.

Tartaglia also translated and published works by Euklides and Archimedes.

Tartaglia died in Venice on 13 December 1557.