Blaise Pascal

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Blaise Pascal

• Brett Foran
• 8M1

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Pascals Life
Blaise Pascal was born on June 19, 1623 in
Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme, France and died on
August 19, 1662 in Paris. Pascals mother died
when he was three and he was raised and educated
by his mathematician father Etienne. Described as
a young mathematical genius Pascal, by age 16,
had researched and written on the subject of
projective geometry and the the theory of
probabilities. In 1964 Pascal abandoned maths
for religion and wrote a lot of religious books
around this time. Pascal died of abdominal
problems and his last words were may God never
abandon me. He was buried in the cemetery of
Saint-Etienne-Du-Mont. In honour of Pascal, his
name has been given to a unit of pressure, to a
computing language and to Pascals wager and
Pascals triangle.
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Pascals Inventions, Theories and Studies

• Calculator A basic machine for adding and
  subtracting
• Pascals Wager A theory on probabilities and an
  argument for the belief of God
• Pascals Triangle A mathematical pattern
• Hydraulic press Invented the hydraulic press
  using fluid pressure to multiply force
• Barometer Identified that the level of mercury
  in a barometer is determined by the increase
  or decrease of atmospheric pressure
• Vacuum Pressure Extensive research into the
  weight and density of air

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Pascals Triangle

• A geometric arrangement of binomial coefficients
  in a triangular shape.
• It is an important set of numbers in probability
  and statistics and strongly influenced the
  development of modern economics.
• 1
• 1
• 1 2 1
• 3 3 1
• 1 4 6 4 1
• 1 5 10 10 5 1
• 6 15 20 15 6 1
• 1 7 21 35 35 21 7 1

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Pascals Calculator

• The first mechanical calculator was invented by
  Blaise Pascal.
• It was for assisting his fathers workload as a
  tax commissioner.
• He began work on his first calculator in 1642, at
  the age of 19 and over the next ten years
  produced fifty prototypes but only sold about a
  dozen machines.
• They could only be used for adding and
  subtracting.
• The Pascaline (1645) was a decimal machine which
  was not effective in the French currency system.
• It is the basis for todays calculators and
  computer historians recognise his contribution to
  their field.

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Hydraulic Press

• In 1653 Pascal undertook several experiments on
  the pressure exerted by gases and liquids
  (barometer, hydraulic press and the syringe).
• The hydraulic press depends on Pascals
  principle the pressure through a closed system
  is constant and equal in all directions.
• The hydraulic press is used today in a range of
  industries e.g car jack where the simple pumping
  action of a person and the mechanical advantage
  gained through the hydraulic press can lift the
  weight of a car.
• If we combine a hydraulic press and a calculator
  i.e physical science and mathematics we can
  achieve the measurement of mass, this is the
  basis of a set of industrial scales.

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Bibliography

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlaisePascal
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal27scalculator
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal27striangle
• http//www.ebroadcast.com.au/lookup/encyclopedia/b
  l/ Blaise_Pascal
• http//www.es.flinders.edu.au/mattom/sciencesoci
  ety/ lectures/lecture20/pascal
• http//www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/pascal