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Blaise Pascal
Mechanicalhardwaretheory of computation

Blaise Pascal

Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and Catholic writer

1623 – 1662FranceContribution: 1642

Introduction

Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and Catholic theologian who lived in the 17th century. He made several important contributions to mathematics and physical sciences, and also invented the Pascaline, an early mechanical calculator.

Key Achievement

Pascal is famous for his contributions to probability theory and his work with Pascal's Triangle which is used in binomial expansion. Pascal is also known for inventing an early digital calculator, a syringe, a hydraulic press, and the roulette wheel.He also invented the mechanical calculator.

Biography

Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and Catholic writer.

Notable Works

New experiments with the vacuum

Other

1647

Récit de la grande expérience de l'équilibre des liqueurs 1648

Other

1648

Écrits sur la grâce

Other

1656

Lettres provinciales

Other

1657

Traité des Sinus du Quart de Cercle

Other

1658

Traité du triangle arithmétique

Other

1665

Pensées

Other

1670

Pascal's theorem

Other

Pascal's calculator

Other

Pascal's rule

Other

Pascal's pyramid

Other

Pascal's Wager

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Pascal's law

Other

triangle of Pascal

Other

Did You Know?

  • In 1642, he started some pioneering work on calculating machines (called Pascal's calculators and later Pascalines), establishing him as one of the first two inventors of the mechanical calculator.
  • Like his contemporary René Descartes, Pascal was also a pioneer in the natural and applied sciences.
  • Pascal wrote in defence of the scientific method and produced several controversial results.
  • He is also credited as the inventor of modern public transportation, having established the carrosses à cinq sols, the first modern public transport service, shortly before his death in 1662.