Mathematicians:
Agnesi, Maria: writing the first book discussing both differential and integral calculus
Archimedes: used the method of exhaustion to calculate the area under the arc of a parabola with the summation of an infinite series, and gave a remarkably accurate approximation of pi.[4] He also defined the spiral bearing his name, formulae for the volumes of surfaces of revolution and an ingenious system for expressing very large numbers.
Boole, George: As the inventor of Boolean logic—the basis of modern digital computer logic—Boole is regarded in hindsight as a founder of the field of computer science.
Byron, Ada (Lady Lovelace): known for her work on Charles Babbage's early mechanical general-purpose computer, the analytical engine. Her notes on the engine include what is recognised as the first algorithm intended to be processed by a machine
Descartes, Rene: the Cartesian coordinate system—allowing geometric shapes to be expressed in algebraic equations—was named after him. He is credited as the father of analytical geometry
Diophantus: sometimes called "the father of algebra", was an Alexandrian Greek mathematician and the author of a series of books called Arithmetica; the first Greek mathematician who recognized fractions as numbers; thus he allowed positive rational numbers for the coefficients and solutions. In modern use, Diophantine equations are usually algebraic equations with integer coefficients, for which integer solutions are sought. Diophantus also made advances in mathematical notation.
Erastosthenes: first person to use the word "geography" and invented the discipline of geography as we understand it.[3] He invented a system of latitude and longitude. He was the first person to calculate the circumference of the earth by using a measuring system using stades, or the length of stadiums during that time period (with remarkable accuracy). He was the first person to prove that the Earth was round.
Euclid: a Greek mathematician, often referred to as the "Father of Geometry".In the Elements, Euclid deduced the principles of what is now called Euclidean geometry from a small set of axioms.
Euler, Leonard: made important discoveries in fields as diverse as infinitesimal calculus and graph theory. He also introduced much of the modern mathematical terminology and notation, particularly for mathematical analysis, such as the notion of a mathematical function
Germain, Sophie: One of the pioneers of elasticity theory; Her work on Fermat's Last Theorem provided a foundation for mathematicians exploring the subject for hundreds of years after
Hypatia: considered the first notable woman in mathematics,[3][4][5] who also taught philosophy and astronomy; Her contributions to science are reputed to include the charting of celestial bodies[6] and the invention of the hydrometer,[34]
Kovalevsky, Sonya: the first major Russian female mathematician, responsible for important original contributions to analysis, differential equations and mechanics, and the first woman appointed to a full professorship in Northern Europe.
Napier, John: most renowned as the discoverer of the logarithm. Napier is the inventor of the so-called "Napier's bones". Napier also made common the use of the decimal point in arithmetic and mathematics
Noether, Emmy: influential German mathematician known for her groundbreaking contributions to abstract algebra and theoretical physics; physics, Noether's theorem explains the fundamental connection between symmetry and conservation laws.[3]
Porter, Freda: among the small number of American Indian women who have earned a Ph.D. in mathematics; founded the UNC-Pembroke chapter of AISES (American Indian Science and Engineering Society) in 1991
Ptolemy, Claudius: a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek.[1] He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet
Smith, Karen E: was awarded the 2001 Ruth Lyttle Satter Prize in recognition of her work in commutative algebra; author of An Invitation to Algebraic Geometry,
Stott, Alicia: best known for coining the term "polytope" to refer to a convex solid in four dimensions, and having an impressive grasp of four-dimensional geometry from a very early age
Theano: name given to perhaps two Pythagorean philosophers. She has been called the pupil, daughter and wife of Pythagoras, although others made her the wife of Brontinus. writings attributed to Theano were: Pythagorean Apophthegms, Female Advice, On Virtue, On Piety, On Pythagoras, Philosophical Commentaries, and Letters
Venn, John: famous for introducing the Venn diagram, which is used in many fields, including set theory, probability, logic, statistics, and computer science.
Williams, Grace Alele: the first Nigerian woman to become the head (vice-chancellor) of a Nigerian university, the University of Benin.[1][2]
Cantor, Georg: a German mathematician, best known as the inventor of set theory, which has become a fundamental theory in mathematics. Cantor established the importance of one-to-one correspondence between sets, defined infinite and well-ordered sets, and proved that the real numbers are "more numerous" than the natural numbers
Goldbach, Christian: a German mathematician who also studied law. He is remembered today for Goldbach's conjecture: one of the oldest unsolved problems in number theory and in all of mathematics. It states: Every even integer greater than 2 can be expressed as the sum of two primes.[1]
Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm: developed the infinitesimal calculus independently of Isaac Newton, and Leibniz's mathematical notation has been widely used ever since it was published. He became one of the most prolific inventors in the field of mechanical calculators
Mandlebrot, Benoit: best known as the father of fractal geometry