Original scientific paper

The Letter of Paul Guldin, the Swiss Mathematician, to Marin Getaldić

Josip Balabanić
Žarko Dadić

Abstract

The letter, which was sent by Paul Guldin, the Swiss mathematician to Marin Getaldić on the 24th of February in 1617, makes clear the least known period of Getaldić's life and work. First, it seems that this letter at last confirms the supposition that Getaldić used algebraic method at the restoration of the books of Appolon from Perge. But still he gave the solution of the problem in the syntetical form to make it a real restoration in the methodical sense.
From the letter it is clear that Getaldić had trouble with drawings in his book »De resolutione et compositione mathematica« Although we could guess what kind of troubles he had, it was certainly one of the reasons that the book was published posthumously (Rome 1630).
After all, Guldin’s letter proves that Getaldić was highly esteemed and respected by the scientists in that time. They considered him them most suitable person to gather all Vietev's results in one book with his own comments on it. But still there is an open question whether Getaldić undertook anything about it.

Keywords

Marin Getaldić; Paul Guldin

Hrčak ID:

244706

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/244706

Publication date:

30.6.1978.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 1.082 *