Abraham Sharp, about 1653 to 1742, was an English mathematician and astronomer born at Horton Hall in Little Horton near Bradford and educated at Bradford Grammar School. After an apprenticeship to a merchant, a spell as a schoolmaster in Liverpool and work as a bookkeeper in London, his knowledge of mathematics and astronomy drew the attention of John Flamsteed, who in 1688 invited him to the Greenwich Royal Observatory. There he improved instruments and showed great skill as a calculator, publishing Geometry Improved and logarithmic tables. He is remembered in computing history for calculating pi to 72 decimal places with an arctangent series, a record he held until John Machin reached 100 digits in 1706.
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Contribution Kind Notable WorkCalculation of pi to 72 decimal places 1 Connections
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Source Abraham Sharp (Wikipedia)
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Abraham Sharp (c. 1653 – 18 July 1742) was an English mathematician and astronomer.
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1. Abraham Sharp (Wikipedia)
Lead, birth
Abraham Sharp (c. 1653-18 July 1742) was an English mathematician and astronomer.
Lead, death
Abraham Sharp (c. 1653-18 July 1742) was an English mathematician and astronomer.
Lead, nationality
Abraham Sharp (c. 1653-18 July 1742) was an English mathematician and astronomer.
Life, pi calculation
Sharp calculated pi to 72 decimal places using an arctan sequence, briefly holding the record until John Machin calculated 100 digits in 1706.
Life, notable work
Sharp calculated pi to 72 decimal places using an arctan sequence, briefly holding the record until John Machin calculated 100 digits in 1706.
In Field: Numerical analysis, Life, field
Sharp calculated pi to 72 decimal places using an arctan sequence, briefly holding the record until John Machin calculated 100 digits in 1706.
In Group: Algorithm Design and Analysis, Life, group
Sharp calculated pi to 72 decimal places using an arctan sequence, briefly holding the record until John Machin calculated 100 digits in 1706.
Affiliated With: Royal Observatory, Greenwich, Life, Greenwich
it was through Flamsteed that Sharp was invited, in 1688, to enter the Greenwich Royal Observatory
View the Source2. MacTutor History of Mathematics: Abraham Sharp
MacTutor History of MathematicsBiography, leadQuote, Biography, lead
Abraham Sharp was an English mathematician who worked with Flamsteed.
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