Mathematicians Of The Day

2nd September



On this day in 1752, the Gregorian calendar was introduced in Britain. The following day was declared to be 14th September and there were riots by people demanding "Give us back our eleven days!"

Click on for a poster.


Quotation of the day

From William Rowan Hamilton
Time is said to have only one dimension, and space to have three dimensions. ... The mathematical quaternion partakes of both these elements; in technical language it may be said to be "time plus space", or "space plus time": and in this sense it has, or at least involves a reference to, four dimensions.

And how the One of Time, of Space the Three,
Might in the Chain of Symbols girdled be.
Quoted in R P Graves, Life of Sir William Rowan Hamilton