Who is Archimedes?

Archimedes was an ancient Greek mathematician, physicist and engineer. He is widely considered to be one of the leading mathematicians responsible for the development of many of the formulas and processes of modern day geometry. Until his death in 212 BC, he was thought of to be the most trusted mind in the field of math and many of his findings have led to the principles still used today.

Why is he famous?

In the field of mathematics, Archimedes is most famous for his findings on how to find the volume of an irregularly shaped object. He was able to determine the density of the object by measuring the displacement it caused when put into a container of water. He found this to be true when he noticed his bath water rose when he sat down in it. This allowed him to come up with a formula that would accurately designate a volume to the density of an object that is not able to be measured as liquids had been.

What else did he do?

Archimedes is also famous for explaining the principles behind the use of the lever. This includes a famous quote attributed to him. He is believed to say “give me a big enough lever and I can move the world.” While this is not exactly true, he was able to prove that work was made easier with the use of a lever.