# Carl Friedrich Gauss

Full Name: Carl Friedrich Gauss [Johann Friedrich Carl Gauss]
Nationality:

Profession: Mathematician, Astronomer, and Physicist
Why Famous: One of the world's most famous mathematicians.

Gauss's achievements include his contributions to number theory, proving the fundamental theorem of algebra, independently arriving at the least squares method (line of best fit) and introducing the bell curve (Gaussian distribution) in statistics.

He also made important contributions to geodesy, planetary astronomy, the theory of functions and potential theory (including electromagnetism).

Born:
Star Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Brunswick, Germany

Died: (aged 77)

## Historical Events in the Life of Carl Friedrich Gauss

• 1796-03-30 Carl Friedrich Gauss, German mathematician, discovers the construction of the heptadecagon
• 1796-04-08 Carl Friedrich Gauss, German mathematician, proves the quadratic reciprocity law (the ability to determine the solvability of any quadratic equation in modular arithmetic)
• 1796-07-10 Carl Friedrich Gauss discovers that every positive integer is representable as a sum of at most three triangular numbers