1616-1703

English Mathematician

John Wallis coined the mathematical use of the word "interpolation," and was the first to use the infinity symbol (∞). He introduced a number of other terms and varieties of notation, and made the first efforts at writing a comprehensive history of British mathematics. A founding member of the Royal Society, Wallis was also involved in a number of other scientific endeavors: for instance, he was the first hearing person to develop a means of teaching deaf-mutes.

Wallis was born on November 23, 1616, to John, a rector, and Joanna Chapman Wallis in the Kentish town of Ashford. His father died when he was six, and at age nine an outbreak of the plague forced Wallis to leave Ashford. He attended several boarding schools, and while on Christmas break one year during the equivalent of grammar school, he first displayed his prodigious mathematical talents. After asking...