Arthur Cayley Biography

Attr: Herbert Beraud (1845–1896), Public domain

Occup.	Mathematician
From	United Kingdom
Born	August 16, 1821 Richmond, Surrey, UK
Died	January 26, 1895 Cambridge, England
Aged	73 years

Early Life and Education
Arthur Cayley was born on August 16, 1821, in Richmond, London, United Kingdom. He was the second child of Henry Cayley, a Russian merchant, and Maria Antonia Doughty. His dad's service needed the family to relocate to St. Petersburg, Russia, where Cayley invested his early years. It was during this time that he developed an eager interest in mathematics.

Due to his extraordinary mathematical capabilities, Cayley was returned to England at the age of 14 to get a proper education. His uncle, Reverend George Cayley, supervised his research studies. In 1837, Cayley got in King's College School in London, where he excelled in both mathematics and classics. His impressive achievements in school earned him a scholarship to study at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1840.

University Years and Early Career
At Cambridge, Cayley quickly acquired a reputation as a dazzling mathematician. He won lots of awards during his time at the university, including the first Smith's Prize in 1842 and a Fellowship at Trinity in 1844. His interest in algebra led him to study the works of distinguished mathematicians like George Peacock, George Boole, and William Rowan Hamilton. Cayley also made substantial contributions to the development of the theory of invariants while studying at Cambridge.

After completing his research studies, Cayley struggled to find work as a mathematician, which led him to pursue a career in law. In 1846, he qualified as a lawyer and started operating at the Court of Chancery in London. However, Cayley continued his mathematical research study in his spare time, releasing various documents in the Cambridge Mathematical Journal and other publications.

Academic Career and Notable Works
In 1852, the University of Cambridge founded the Sadleirian Professorship of Mathematics, and Cayley was the perfect prospect. Nevertheless, he declined the offer as it would have required him to give up his profitable law practice. Cayley continued to work as a lawyer up until 1863, when the recently established Royal School of Mines provided him a professorship in mathematics. Cayley happily accepted the position and went back to academia.

Cayley's mathematical research covered a wide range of topics, including algebraic geometry, the theory of groups, higher-dimensional geometry, and the research study of determinants. He was a respected writer and published over 900 research study documents throughout his lifetime. A few of his most notable works include the development of the Cayley-Hamilton theorem, the principle of a Cayley chart, and the concept of a Cayley algebra. He likewise presented the concept of an 'abstract group,' which would later on end up being a fundamental principle in modern-day algebra.

Associations and Recognition
Cayley was actively involved in numerous distinguished scientific societies. In 1857, he was chosen to the Council of the Royal Society and later on worked as its president from 1883 to 1885. He likewise became a member of the London Mathematical Society, acting as its president from 1872 to 1874. Cayley was a foreign member of the French Academy of Sciences, the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Throughout his profession, Cayley got many awards and honors for his contributions to mathematics. In 1859, he was granted the Royal Society's prestigious Copley Medal, and in 1864, he was knighted by Queen Victoria for his services to mathematics.

Personal Life and Legacy
Arthur Cayley married Susan Moline in 1865, and the couple had 4 kids-- Cecilia, Harold, Hector, and Julian. Cayley was understood for his generosity and warmth, often helping more youthful mathematicians by sharing his concepts and insights.

Arthur Cayley died on January 26, 1895, in Cambridge, United Kingdom. His comprehensive body of work and innovative contributions to mathematics continue to inspire mathematicians today. The Cayley Medal, awarded by the London Mathematical Society, and the Cayley Lectures, organized by the Mathematical Association, are named in his honor.

Our collection contains 6 quotes who is written / told by Arthur.

Related authors: George Boole (Mathematician), Queen Victoria (Royalty), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)

Arthur Cayley Famous Works:

1845 On the Theory of Linear Transformations (Book)
1858 A Memoir on the Theory of Matrices (Book)
1860 A Treatise on the Analytic Geometry of Three Dimensions (Book)
1876 An Elementary Treatise on Elliptic Functions (Book)
1879 Laws of Invariants (Book)

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6 Famous quotes by Arthur Cayley

"Projective geometry is all geometry"

"As for everything else, so for a mathematical theory: beauty can be perceived but not explained"

"So much the worse, it may be, for a particular meeting: but the meeting is the individual, which on evolution principles, must be sacrificed for the development of the race"

"Not that the propositions of geometry are only approximately true, but that they remain absolutely true in regard to that Euclidean space which has been so long regarded as being the physical space of our experience"

"But be that as it may, I think it is more respectful to you that I should speak to you upon and do my best to interest you in the subject which has occupied me, and in which I am myself most interested"

"And in another point of view, I think it is right that the address of a president should be on his own subject, and that different subjects should be thus brought in turn before the meetings"