Carl Louis Ferdinand von Lindemann — страница 2

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irrational but this was not enough to prove the impossibility of squaring the circle with ruler and compass since certain algebraic numbers can be constructed with ruler and compass. Lindemann's proof that  is transcendental finally established that squaring the circle with ruler and compasses is insoluble. He published his proof in the paper über die Zahl in 1882. Physics was also an area of interest for Lindemann. He worked on the theory of the electron, and came into conflict with Arnold Sommerfeld on this subject. Eckert, in [4], looks at Lindemann's contributions to physics, using manuscript materials, including correspondence with Sommerfeld. Another research interest of Lindemann was the history of mathematics. He also undertook, in collaboration with his wife,

translating work. In particular they translated and revised some of Poincaré's writings. Lindemann was elected to the Bavarian Academy of Sciences in 1894 as an associate member, becoming a full member in the following year. He given an honorary degree by the University of St Andrews in 1912. Wussing writes in [1]:- Lindemann was one of the founders of the modern German educational system. He emphasised the development of the seminar and in his lectures communicated the latest research results. He also supervised more than sixty doctoral students, including David Hilbert. Hilbert was Lindemann's doctoral student in Königsberg. Another of his doctoral students was Oskar Perron who studied under him in Munich. J J O'Connor and E F Robertson