Apollonius of Perga

Apollonius of Perga was an ancient Greek mathematician and astronomer (c.240 BC- 190 BC) known for his work on solid geometry and mathematical theorems. Perga was a Hellenized city in Pamphylia, Anatolia (modern Turkey), whose ruins still stand, and was a centre of Hellenistic culture. Apollonius derived the four conic sections that modern mathematicians use: the circle, ellipse, parabola and hyperbola. He achieved this using the section obtained from a plane cutting through two inverted cones. Apollonius defined the definitions of the terms of ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola that we still use today, and he derived a number of other mathematical theorems on plane and solid geometry.

Apollonius was influenced from the earlier work of Euclid and Archimedes and developed the fundamental notions that form the basis of modern analytical geometry. Apollonius also worked on many other topics, including astronomy and mechanics. Most of his works have not survived, but his works have been referenced by other great mathematicians, including Pappus of Alexandria. Furthermore, he developed a hypothesis to explain the motion of planets and is believed to have contributed in other areas of astronomy. Consequently, the Apollonius crater on the Moon was named in his honour. Apollonius is generally considered among the greatest mathematicians of antiquity and modern times.