Third Short Biography

Level 3

(1811 - 1832)

He was a very gifted young French mathematician, and his story is one of the most tragic in the history of mathematics. He was killed at the age of 20 in a duel that is still veiled in mystery. Before that, he made huge contributions to abstract algebra. He helped to found group theory as we know it today, and he was the first to use the term "group". Perhaps most importantly, he proved that it is impossible to solve a fifth-degree polynomial (or a polynomial of any higher degree) using radicals by studying permutation groups associated to polynomials. This area of algebra is still important today, which his last name is on the theory in his honor.

Who is he?

Andre Weil Augustin-Louis Cauchy Nicolas Chuquet Évariste Galois

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2 solutions

Mursalin Habib
Nov 29, 2014

[Not a solution]

I thought it was Henrik Abel who proved that the general fifth degree polynomial is not solvable by radicals.

Professor Ferdinand Degen noted, however, Abel's unusually sharp mind, and believed that such a talented young man should not waste his abilities on such a "sterile object" as the fifth degree equation, but rather on elliptic functions and transcendence...

Lew Sterling Jr - 6 years, 6 months ago
Ryan Tamburrino
Jan 27, 2015

Got it after the second sentence, only because Galois is one of my all-time favorite mathematicians. This is a great set, by the way!

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