Leonhard Euler - or, I'll read the damndest things
Now I know next to nothing about math. Almost flunked basic math as a freshman. But I found this interesting post on Jack's Cantà nima blog about the famous mathematician Leonhard Euler.
I of course had no idea who the guy was but read the post anyway. As far as I know I had never heard the name Euler in my life.
And then today on NRO's The Corner I discovered two limericks by John Derbyshire designed to help you learn how to pronounce his name (Derbyshire, btw, seems to be pronounced Darb-a-sher).
Shame to Waste a Rhyme
Leonhard Euler
Could never resist a spoiler.
If you tried to work out e^(pi*i)+1
He'd yell: "It's zero! Ja!—ruined your fun!
Further Pronunciation Advice
That math whiz Euler (Leonhard)
Had a great mind, but a peon heart.
His life was spare and frugal,
His sex life strictly conjugal.
So this is what math nuts do for fun. Maybe I should start doing some silly poems about historical events. I once had some students come into my office at Hamline University and do a rap bio of Augustus Caesar. And I like songs with historical lyrics.
posted by Clemens @ 12:34 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
A well written Limerick is hard to beat (if nothing else it aggravates people are are into poetry)
One of my favorites from a Physics competition was
The Condensed Story of Miss Farad
Miss Farad was pretty and sensual
And charged to a reckless potential
When this fella named Ohm
Conducted her home
Her decline was, alas, exponential
Then for an art class I wrote this one (about Voltaic Piles)
There once was a scientific awakening
when Alessandro began battery making
On two plates that held charge
That were really quite large
Came a discovery that was truly groundbreaking
I believe that batteries are still called Piles in French?
--Joey
Is it something about math and science that sets you guys off?
On the other hand, the late C Warren Hollister, one of America's leading medievalists, was notorious for his little limericks about famous people in the Middle Ages.
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