14 Facts About Michael Stifel

Michael Stifel or Styfel was a German monk, Protestant reformer and mathematician.

Michael Stifel was later appointed professor of mathematics at Jena University.

Michael Stifel then left for Frankfurt, and soon went to Mansfeld, where he began his mathematical studies.

In 1524, upon a recommendation by Luther, Michael Stifel was called by the Jorger family to serve at their residence, Tollet Castle in Tollet.

Michael Stifel was fascinated regarding the properties and possibilities of numbers; he studied number theory and numerology.

Michael Stifel studied "Die Coss" by Christoph Rudolff and Euclid's Elements in the Latin edition by Campanus of Novara.

In 1558 Michael Stifel became first professor of mathematics at the new founded University of Jena.

Michael Stifel is the first to use the term "exponent" and included the following rules for calculating powers: and.

Michael Stifel realized that this would create a lot of work.

Michael Stifel was the first, who had a standard method to solve quadratic equations.

Michael Stifel was able to reduce the different cases known to one case, because he uses both, positive and negative coefficients.

Michael Stifel however, used negative numbers equal to the other numbers.

Michael Stifel discussed the properties of irrational numbers and if the irrationals are real numbers, or only fictitious.

Michael Stifel found them very useful for mathematics, and not dispensable.