Russian Mathematician and Educator 1850–1891

Russian mathematician Sofya Kovalevsky was born in Moscow, Russia, the daughter of a minor nobleman. She became interested in mathematics at a very young age, when an uncle discussed mathematical concepts with her. Because of a wallpaper shortage, her nursery was papered with her father's lecture notes from a course in calculus, and at age 11 she studied the notes, recognizing principles her uncle had discussed. Under a tutor, she became so enamored with mathematics that she neglected her other studies.

When her father stopped her mathematics lessons, Kovalevsky borrowed an algebra book and read it while the family slept. At age 14 she read a physics textbook written by a neighbor and taught herself trigonometry so that she could understand the optics section. The neighbor recognized her ability and persuaded her father to send her to St. Petersburg, Russia, to continue her education...