François Viète
François Viète | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1540 |
| Died | 23 February 1603 (aged 62–63) Paris, Kingdom of France |
| Nationality | French |
| Other names | Franciscus Vieta |
| Education | University of Poitiers (LL.B., 1559) |
| Known for | New algebra (the first symbolic algebra) Vieta's formulas Viète's formula |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy, mathematics (algebra and trigonometry) |
| Notable students | Alexander Anderson |
| Signature | |
François Viète (French: [fʁɑ̃swa vjɛt]; 1540 – 23 February 1603), known in Latin as Franciscus Vieta, was a French mathematician whose work on new algebra was an important step towards modern algebra, due to his innovative use of letters as parameters in equations. He was a lawyer by trade, and served as a privy councillor to both Henry III and Henry IV of France.