Sofia Vasilyevna Kovalevskaya (say that ten times fast!) was the first major Russian female mathematician. She was responsible for important original contributions to analysis, differential equations and mechanics, and the first woman appointed to a full professorship in Northern Europe, as well as one of the first female editors for a scientific journal. She earned a doctorate in mathematics "summa cum laude", becoming the first woman in Europe to hold that degree.
Sofia was born January 15, 1850, and died January 29, 1891 of influenza.
Do you (or have you) celebrate(d) Sofia Kovalevskaya Math Day in school? I give kudos to anyone who can say that in one fluid breath!
Check out some of our books on the subject:
"Addition and Subtraction", by Lucille Caron and Philip M. St. Jacques
"Why Pi? How Math Applies to Everyday Life", by Johnny Ball
"The Math Book for Girls and Other Beings Who Count", by Valerie Wyatt
"Beanstalk: the Measure of a Giant", by Ann McCallum
"Max's Money", by Teddy Slater
"Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi", by Cindy Neuschwander
"Great Graphs and Sensational Statistics: Games and Activities Make Math Easy and Fun", by Lynette Long
"Dr. Math Introduces Geometry: Learning Geometry is Easy!" - The Math Forum, Drexel University; cartoons by Jessica Wolk-Stanley.
"All About Money", by Erin Roberson
"Everyday Math Demystified", by Stan Gibilisco
"Bringing Math Home: a Parent's Guide to Elementary School Math", by Suzanne L. Churchman
"Master Math: Calculus", by Debra Anne Ross
"Math Circus: Learn Beginning Math!" a DVD!
"The Wing Wing Brothers Math Spectacular!", by Ethan Long
Today is also Learn What Your Name Means Day, and Oreo Cookie Day (YUM)!
Here are some interesting things that happened on this day in history:
- Michelangelo was born in 1475
- Edgar Allen Poe was removed from West Point Military Academy in 1831
- Toronto incorporated with William Lyon Mackenzie as its 1st Mayor in 1834
- Louisa May Alcott died at 55 in 1888
- Aspirin was patented by Felix Hoffmann in 1899
- The Census Bureau formed in 1902
- Babe Ruth signed a 3-year contract with the NY Yankees in 1922
- Silly Putty was invented in 1950
- JR Willford completed the first nonstop helicopter crossing of North America in 1965
- The Beatles released "Let It Be" in the UK in 1970
- Walter Cronkite signed off as anchorman of "The CBD Evening News" in 1981
- In Wagga Wagga, Australia, 9000 residents were evacuated in anticipation of the Murrimbidgee River overflowing in 2012
Stay tuned for our next "On This Day in History". Happy math day!
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