Leibniz's Work

Between his philosophical and logical work and his day job as a politician and despite being a representative of the royal house of Hanover, Leibniz still found time to work on mathematics.

Some of his great achievements in the field of mathematics are stated as under:

1. Leibniz may have been the first in mathematics to explicitly use the concept of a function to describe geometric concepts derived from curves.
2. He also established an infinitesimal calculus system that was independent of his contemporary Sir Isaac Newton.
3. In addition, he revived the ancient method of solving equations with matrices, invented a practical calculating machine, and pioneered the use of the binary system.
4. Here are the three most well-known articles on calculus by Leibniz that appeared in the Acta Eruditorum, bearing the following titles:
• Nova methodus pro maximis et minimis, itemque tangentibus, quae nec fractas nec irrationales quantitates moratur, et singulare pro illis calculi genus (1684).
• De geometria recondite et analysi indivisibilium atque infinitorum (1686).
• Supplementum geometriae dimensoriae, seu generalissima omnium Tetragonismorum effectio per motum: similiterque multiplex constructio lineae ex data tangentium conditions (1693).

In English, the titles are, respectively:

•"A new method for maxima and minima, and for tangents, that is not hindered by fractional or irrational quantities, and a singular kind of calculus for the above mentioned."

•"On a hidden geometry and analysis of indivisibles and infinite."

•"A Supplement to the Geometry of Measurements, or the Most General of all Quadratures to be Effected by a Motion: and likewise the various constructions of a curve from a given condition of the tangent."