Blaine Pascal

By: Tyler Lantz & Megan Howell

Born on June 19, 1623Born in Clermont-

Ferrand, FranceHe was a french mathematician,

physicist, inventor, writer, & catholic

philosopherPascal was educated by

his father, Etienne Pascal & lost his mother Antoinette Begon at the

age of three.He had two sisters,

Jacqueline & Gilberte

Pascal's Younger YearsAt a young age pascal was very interested in math & science.At eleven his father did not allow him to pursue math until he was fifteen so it did not interfere with the study of Latin &Greek.When he was twelve his father caught him wanting a theory that the sum of the angles of a triangle is equal to two right triangles & from then on he was allowed to study Euclid.

Religion

Jansenists were a religious group formed by Cornelius Jansen.

The beliefs were very different from the Jesuits

which were the most influential group of the

time.

In 1646 Pascal's father was confined to his house due to injury. Neighbors who were Jansenists would visit him and shortly after the Pascals began to adopt the Jansenists beliefs.

After his father's death, Pascal's sister joined the Jansenists at their convent in Port Royal. In 1654, after living a more wild lifestyle, Pascal completely converted to Jansenism and joined the convent.

Pascal's Triangle Traite du Triangle Arithmetique

In 1653 Pascal described a

convenient tabular presentation for

binomial coefficients, which

is now called Pascal's

Triangle.

Each number is the sum of the two directly above it. The triangle demonstrates many mathematical

properties in addition to showing binomial coefficients.

Pascal's Triangle can also be represented by:

Pascal's Theorum

At sixteen, Pascal produced a short essay or theory on what was called the 'Mystic Hexagram'. It was his first serious piece of work and he sent it to Pere Mersenne in Paris.It is still known today as Pascal's Theorum.It states that if a hexagon is inscribed in a circle then the three intersection points of opposite sides lie on a line called the Pascal Line.

Pascal's Theorum

Pascal's Law

Pascal started his work with natural and applied sciences and made many contributions to the study of fluids.

In physical science the principle of transmission of fluid pressure better known as Pascal's Law states that pressure exerted anywhere in a confined in compressible fluid is transmitted equally in all directions through out the fluid so that the pressure ratio remains the same.

Hydrostatic Pressure

Fluid Density

Acceler ation due to gravity.

Height of fluid above the point of messurement.

PascalineWhen Pascal was just about 19 he constructed a mechanical calculator capable of addition and subtraction to try and help his father with his tax collections.

Many of the later mechanical calculator industries branched from the key machines and inventions of the Pascaline

It was invented in 1642.The Pascaline was first released in Europe and then continued to spread all over the world.

Pascal's work in the fields of the study of hydrodynamics and hydrostatics centered on the principles of hydraulic fluids.

Pascal had learned of Evangelista Torricelli's experiment with barometers, and since most scientists of that time thought that vaccums were impossible Pascal saw that as an opprotunity to prove them wrong.

The Barometer Experiment

The Barometer Experiment

Pascal's theory had a very detailed explanation on the rules describing to what degree various liquids could be supported by air pressure. To prove this he worked with his brother-in-law and conducted an experiment where he went to the lowest and highest points of elevation in the town.After his brother-in-law conducted that many times Pascal replicated the experiment by observing the change in pressure from the ground to the top of a bell tower.

After finishing his research and numerous experiments he established the principle and value of the barometer.

The Pensées

Some of Pascal's mathematical and scientific works were not published

until after his death. One of his most famous works was:

This piece of work was an apology, or defence, for Christianity. Eight years later the Port Royal community

published The Pensées without completely understanding what the document truely stated.

In France, annual awards, Blaise Pascal Chairs are given to outstanding international scientists to conduct their research in the a certain region of France.One of the Universities of Clermont-Ferrand, France - Universite Blaise Pascal- is named after him.The University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, holds an annual math contest named in his honour. The Pascal Contest is open to any student from around the world, who is fifteen years or under and is in grade nine or lower.Roberto Rossellini directed a filmed biopic (titled Blaise Pascal) which originally aired on Italian television in 1971.

Other Facts about Blaise Pascal

In 1659, Pascal became seriously ill. Throughout his last few years he rejected doctors and said "sickness is the natural state of Christianity".

Pascal's very last achievement was starting the first bus line, moving passengers within Paris in a carriage with numerous seats.

In 1662 Pascal moved to a hospital due to his illness getting worse. In Paris on August 18th, 1662 he went into convulsions and died the next morning at the age of 39. He was burried in the cementary of Saint-Etinne-du-mont.

Death

"May God never abandon me"

Blaise Pascal's last words: