At the same time, he unsuccessfully applied for a physics professorship at the University of Basel. In the interim he attended lectures on medicine in preparation for the post he would receive at his new assignment. In November 1726 Euler eagerly accepted the offer, but delayed making the trip to Saint Petersburg. In July 1726, Nicolas died of appendicitis after spending a year in Russia, and when Daniel assumed his brother's position in the mathematics/physics division, he recommended that the post in physiology that he had vacated be filled by his friend Euler. Saint PetersburgĪround this time Johann Bernoulli's two sons, Daniel and Nicolaus II, were working at the Imperial Russian Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg. He won second place, losing only to Pierre Bouguer-a man now known as "the father of naval architecture." Euler, however, would eventually win the coveted annual prize 12 times in his career. dissertation on the propagation of sound with the title De Sono and in 1727, he entered the Paris Academy Prize Problem competition, where the problem that year was to find the best way to place the masts on a ship. Johann Bernoulli intervened, and convinced Paul Euler that Leonhard was destined to become a great mathematician. Įuler was at this point studying theology, Greek, and Hebrew at his father's urging, in order to become a pastor. At this time, he was receiving Saturday afternoon lessons from Johann Bernoulli, who quickly discovered his new pupil's incredible talent for mathematics. At the age of 13 he matriculated from the University of Basel, and in 1723, at the age of 17, he received the degree of Masters of Arts with a dissertation that compared the philosophies of Descartes and Newton. His early formal education started in Basel, where he was sent to live with his maternal grandmother. Paul Euler was a family friend of the Bernoullis, and Johann Bernoulli, who was then regarded as Europe's foremost mathematician, would eventually be an important influence on the young Leonhard. Soon after the birth of Leonhard, the Eulers moved from Basel to the town of Riehen, where Euler spent most of his childhood. Euler had two younger sisters named Anna Maria and Maria Magdalena. The tradition of a religious life would be passed on to Euler, who remained a devout Calvinist for his entire life. Swiss 10 Franc banknote honoring Euler, the most successful Swiss mathematician in history.Įuler was born in Basel to Paul Euler, a pastor of the Reformed Church, and Marguerite Brucker, a pastor's daughter.
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