Eratosthenes

E·ra·tos·the·nes

E0194500 (ĕr′ə-tŏs′thə-nēz′) Third century bc. Greek mathematician, astronomer, and geographer who devised a map of the world, estimated the circumference of the earth and the distance to the moon and the sun, and constructed a method for finding prime numbers.

Eratosthenes

(ˌɛrəˈtɒsθɪˌniːz) n (Biography) ?276–?194 bc, Greek mathematician and astronomer, who calculated the circumference of the earth by observing the angle of the sun's rays at different places

Er•a•tos•the•nes

(ˌɛr əˈtɒs θəˌniz)

n. 276?–195? B.C., Greek mathematician and astronomer at Alexandria.

E·ra·tos·the·nes

(ĕr′ə-tŏs′thə-nēz′) Third century b.c. Greek mathematician and astronomer. He is best known for making an accurate estimate of the circumference of the Earth by measuring the angle of the sun's rays at two different locations at the same time. Eratosthenes also invented a method for listing the prime numbers that are less than any given number.

Thesaurus

Noun

Eratosthenes - Greek mathematician and astronomer who estimated the circumference of the earth and the distances to the Moon and sun (276-194 BC)

Eratosthenes

enUK

Eratosthenes
Birthplace	Cyrene
Occupation	Scholar, librarian, poet and inventor

Eratosthenes

(ĕrətŏs`thənēz), c.275–c.195 B.C., Greek scholar, b. Cyrene. A pupil of CallimachusCallimachus,
fl. c.280–45 B.C., Hellenistic Greek poet and critic, b. Cyrene. Educated at Athens, he taught before obtaining work in the Alexandrian library. There he drew up a catalog, with such copious notes that it constituted a full literary history.
..... Click the link for more information. in Athens, he became (c.240 B.C.) head of the library at Alexandria. Known for his versatility, he wrote poetry and works (most of them lost) on literature, the theater (notably on ancient comedy), mathematics, astronomy, geography, and philosophy; he also drew a map of the known world and evolved a system of chronology. Especially noted as an astronomer, he is credited with measuring the circumference and tilt of the earth and the size and distance from the earth of the sun and the moon.

Eratosthenes

Born circa 276 B.C. in Cyrene; died circa 194 B.C. Greek scholar and scientist.

Eratosthenes was educated in Alexandria and Athens. He headed the library at Alexandria after the death of Callimachus and studied many branches of ancient science. In mathematics he discovered the famous method of finding prime numbers known as the sieve of Eratosthenes. He laid the foundations of mathematical geography; the first person to make an accurate determination of the size of the earth, he calculated the earth’s radius as 6,311 km. Eratosthenes contributed to the development of chronology and astronomy. In philology he produced a study of ancient comedy; his philosophical writings include the dialogue Platonicon. He also wrote on music. Only fragments of Eratosthenes’ works have survived.

Eratosthenes

?276--?194 bc, Greek mathematician and astronomer, who calculated the circumference of the earth by observing the angle of the sun's rays at different places