What equation did Eratosthenes use?

Eratosthenes divided 360° by 7.2° and got 50, which told him that the distance between Alexandria and Syene (500 miles) was 1/50 of the total distance around the Earth. So he multiplied 500 by 50 to arrive at his estimate of the Earth’s circumference: 25,000 miles.

What did Eratosthenes discover in mathematics?

One of the most remarkable things done by Eratosthenes included his effort to calculate the Earth’s circumference without leaving the comfortable perimeters of Egypt. Eratosthenes also discovered an algorithm to determine prime numbers which is known as the Sieve of Eratosthenes. He also invented the armillary sphere.

What is the contribution of Eratosthenes in mathematics?

He has written works on geography, philosophy, history, astronomy, mathematics, and literary criticism. One of Eratosthenes’ contributions to mathematics was his measurement of the Earth. He calculated the circumference of the Earth to be about 252,000 stadi which is equal to about 24,662 miles.

What was Eratosthenes scientific method?

Eratosthenes measured Earth’s circumference mathematically using two surface points to make the calculation. He noted that the Sun’s rays fell vertically at noon in Syene (now Aswān), Egypt, at the summer solstice.

What is the meaning of Eratosthenes?

Eratosthenes Add to list Share. Definitions of Eratosthenes. Greek mathematician and astronomer who estimated the circumference of the earth and the distances to the Moon and sun (276-194 BC) example of: astronomer, stargazer, uranologist. a physicist who studies astronomy.

What did Eratosthenes believe in?

240 B.C. Eratosthenes Measures the Earth. By around 500 B.C., most ancient Greeks believed that Earth was round, not flat. But they had no idea how big the planet is until about 240 B.C., when Eratosthenes devised a clever method of estimating its circumference.

What impact did Eratosthenes of Cyrene have on science?

Eratosthenes made several important contributions to mathematics and science, and was a friend of Archimedes. Around 255 BC, he invented the armillary sphere. In On the Circular Motions of the Celestial Bodies, Cleomedes credited him with having calculated the Earth’s circumference around 240 BC, with a high precision.

What was Eratosthenes famous mathematical figure?

Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician who is famous for his work on prime numbers and for measuring the diameter of the earth.

Who is the father of Eratosthenes?

Aglaos
Life. The son of Aglaos, Eratosthenes was born in 276 BC in Cyrene. Now part of modern-day Libya, Cyrene had been founded by Greeks centuries earlier and became the capital of Pentapolis (North Africa), a country of five cities: Cyrene, Arsinoe, Berenice, Ptolemias, and Apollonia.

Did Eratosthenes get married?

Eratosthenes was born in 276 B.C. in the city of Cyrene which is in the modern-day country of Libya. He studied for a few years in Athens. Some people believe that Eratosthenes starved himself to death on purpose after going blind. He never married.

How did Eratosthenes calculate the size of the Earth?

Eratosthenes hired a man to pace the distance between the two cities and learned they were 5,000 stadia apart, which is about 800 kilometers. He could then use simple proportions to find the Earth’s circumference — 7.2 degrees is 1/50 of 360 degrees, so 800 times 50 equals 40,000 kilometers.

Who invented Mesolabio?

The mesolabe is an instrument or apparatus, created by Eratosthenes . It is a kind of abacus that is used to establish means and proportions; allowed to insert two proportional means between two given values. It can be considered as one of the first calculators in history.

What did Eratosthenes do with his prime number sieve?

Eratosthenes also worked on prime numbers. He is remembered for his prime number sieve, the ‘Sieve of Eratosthenes’ which, in modified form, is still an important tool in number theory research. The sieve appears in the Introduction to arithmetic by Nicomedes .

What kind of Education did Eratosthenes have in Cyrene?

Cyrene became a place of cultivation, where knowledge blossomed. Like any young Greek, Eratosthenes would have studied in the local gymnasium, where he would have learned physical skills and social discourse as well as reading, writing, arithmetic, poetry, and music.

How did Eratosthenes calculate the number of days in a year?

During his time at the Library of Alexandria, Eratosthenes devised a calendar using his predictions about the ecliptic of the Earth. He calculated that there are 365 days in a year and that every fourth year there would be 366 days.