March 1, 2024

Caroline Cronin

8th Grade

Frost Middle School

Introduction

Eureka! That is what Archimedes, the famous mathematician, exclaimed as he sprinted out of his bathtub and through the streets of Syracuse. This moment in history was a huge mathematical breakthrough and possibly the greatest math discovery of all time. But who is Archimedes? And how did we get here? It all started over 2,000 years ago when a genius was born. Meet Archimedes, one of the most famous ancient Greek mathematicians and inventors. 

Life Overview

Archimedes was born circa 287 BCE in Syracuse, near Sicily. The name Archimedes means “master thinker, planner.” We do not know much about his family or personal life, but we know that he studied briefly in Alexandria, Egypt, but ultimately returned to Syracuse to work for the King at the time. 

The Archimedes’ Principle

One of Archimedes' greatest works was the Archimedes Principle. The King of Syracuse had a golden crown made, but he did not trust his blacksmith. He sought Archimedes and told him to prove that it was real gold. The only problem was that the King was very attached to his crown and didn’t want anything to happen to it. Archimedes took on the task, not knowing what to do or how to do it. Stumped, he soaked in his bathtub and that’s when it hit him. As he sank deeper into the water, the water spilled out the sides. He realized that the displacement of water led to finding the volume and density of the crown. The Archimedes’ Principle states that when placed in water if the weight of an object is greater than the weight of the water, it will sink. The object will float when the weight of the object and the water are equal. This was how Archimedes proved to the King that the crown was real gold and not a lump of lead or silver. 

A Sad Ending

While he is most well-known for the work he did for the King, he contributed much more to mathematics and played an important role in an attack from the Romans. When the city was under siege, Archimedes invented war weapons that were so efficient, that the Romans were delayed. However, this was his “last hurrah”. About one year later, Rome captured Syracuse and killed Archimedes. 

A Life Well-Lived

Most people do not know about Archimedes, but he was such an important figure in the world of math. While no equation can ever match his brilliant mind, his discoveries laid the groundwork for more to come in the future. We remember him and honor him for what he established for the mathematicians of today.