Archimedes Archimedes was one of the greatest mathematical geniuses this world has ever seen. Many of his inventions and ideas still play a role in the world we live in today. Archimedes was the son of an astronomer and mathematician named Phidias. Born in the city of Syracuse on the island of Sicily, in 287 BC Syracuse was a focal point for art and science which exerted a strong influence on the mature Archimedes. As he grew up, he quickly became obsessed with problem-solving curiosity. After learning as much as he could in Syracuse, Archimedes went to Alexandria, Egypt to study for many years. He later returned with a strong education to overcome his limitations and study independently. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Archimedes foresaw modern calculus and analysis using the concepts of infinitesimals and the method of exhaustion to derive and prove a series of geometric theorems. This included the area of ​​a circle, the surface area and volume of a sphere, and the area under a parabola. He also derived an accurate estimate of pi, creating a system that used exponentiation to express very large numbers. He was also one of the first to apply mathematics to the physical world. He used his strong mathematical skills to become a pioneer in the world of physics. During Archimedes' life he accomplished many feats and used his strong mind to assist his people. His king, Hiero II, was very fond of him and recognized his problem-solving skills. Archimedes helped him on many occasions throughout his life. One such story tells of how King Hiero failed to empty the rainwater from the hull of one of his ships. The king asked Archimedes for help. Archimedes' solution was to create a machine consisting of a hollow tube containing a spiral that could be rotated by a handle at one end. When the lower end of the tube was inserted into the hull and the handle was turned, water was carried down the tube and out of the boat. The Archimedes screw is still used as an irrigation method in developing countries. Another story tells of how King Hiero called Archimedes to determine whether a crown a blacksmith had made for him was completely gold or whether silver had been used. This was not a difficult task for Archimedes until the king asked him to solve it without damaging the crown. It took Archimedes some time to find a way to determine the material used until one day, when he sat in his bathtub and saw the water rising, he shouted "Eureka!" He realized that he could understand the material by placing the crown in water and determining the displacement. He then proceeded to jump out of the bathtub and run naked through the streets to figure out what the crown was made of. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay Archimedes not only served the king but also his people. Syracuse had long been attacked by the Romans in its old age. Archimedes developed many clever ways to defend his people through inventions used to target and sink Roman ships. Finally, after many years, the Romans finally invaded the city. A soldier had found Archimedes and asked to see his commander. Archimedes refused, saying he was working on a difficult problem, and the soldier angrily killed the 75-year-old. Archimedes was one of the greatest mathematicians who ever lived. He truly demonstrated the true meaning of mathematics because it was his tool to solve many problems in his life. Archimedes once.