Joseph Diaz Gergonne (1771-1859) was a French mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of geometry and the theory of probability. He was born in Dijon, France and studied at the École Polytechnique in Paris.
Gergonne is best known for his work on the theory of parallel lines, in which he introduced the concept of the "Gergonne point," which is the point of intersection of the three perpendicular bisectors of the sides of a triangle. He also made important contributions to the field of probability and statistics, including the introduction of the concept of conditional probability.
In 1801, Gergonne began publishing a journal called "Annales de mathématiques pures et appliquées," which became one of the most important mathematical journals of the 19th century. It included a section devoted to problems that could be solved using graph paper. This helped to popularise the use of graph paper among mathematicians and scientists.
Gergonne was also a professor of mathematics at the École Polytechnique and later at the University of Grenoble. He was a member of the French Academy of Sciences and was awarded the Legion of Honour in 1838.
Gergonne died in Grenoble in 1859. His work had a lasting impact on mathematics, particularly in the fields of geometry and probability, and he is remembered as a prominent mathematician of his time.
The following book may be of interest: A History of Mathematics, (3rd Edition)
