Blaise Pascal, French Polymath

Pascal measuring the air pressure as part of his expansion of Evangelista Torricelli's work in developing the barometer. Blaise Pascal, (1623-1662), French mathematician, physicist, inventor and philosopher. At 19, Pascal invented a mechanical calculating engine also known as a pascaline (calculator). It used cogged wheels to perform additions and subtractions, and it is thought that about 70 of them were built. Pascal also made contributions to geometry and hydrostatics. He worked with French mathematician Fermat, founding probability theory. After nearly dying in 1654, Pascal abandoned mathematics in favor of philosophy. The SI unit of pressure, the Pascal, was named after him to honor his work on hydrostatics

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1623 1662 Arithmetical Binomial Blaise Calculate Calculator Coefficients Contribute Develop Economics Fluids Geometry Mathematical Mathematician Mechanical Pascal Pascals Polymath Pressure Probability Prodigy Projective Theory Traite Treatise Vacuum

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