Leonhard Euler

Noted Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler worked in analysis and algebra, including complex numbers and logarithms, and he introduced much of the basic notation in mathematics.

This pioneering physicist made important discoveries in fields as diverse as infinitesimal calculus and graph theory. He also introduced much of the modern terminology, particularly for analysis, such as the notion of a function. He is also renowned for his work in mechanics, fluid dynamics, optics, astronomy, and music theory.

People considered Euler the preeminent mathematician of the 18th century and one of the greatest who ever lived. He is also one of the most prolific mathematicians; his collected works fill sixty to eighty quarto volumes. He spent most of his adult life in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and in Berlin, Prussia.

A statement, attributed to Pierre Simon de Laplace, expresses influence of Euler on mathematics: "Read Euler, read Euler, he is the master of us all."