Bell, Eric Temple

▪ American mathematician

born February 7, 1883, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

died December 21, 1960, Watsonville, California, U.S.

      Scottish American mathematician, educator, and writer who made significant contributions to analytic number theory.

      Bell emigrated to the United States at the age of 19 and immediately enrolled at Stanford University, where after only two years he earned his bachelor's degree. He received his master's degree from the University of Washington (Washington, University of) after one year of effort in 1908. Similarly, he received his doctorate in mathematics from Columbia University in 1912 after another year of matriculation. In between these years, Bell married and tried his hand as a mule skinner, ranch hand, surveyor, teacher, and at other trades. Immediately after receiving his doctorate, Bell accepted a position at the University of Washington teaching mathematics, which he held until 1926, when he was appointed professor of mathematics at the California Institute of Technology. From 1931 to 1933 he served as president of the Mathematical Association of America.

      Bell published approximately 250 scholarly articles. For his work “Arithmetical Paraphrases” (1921) he received the Bôcher Prize in 1924. Two of his books, Algebraic Arithmetic (1927) and The Development of Mathematics (1940), became standards in the field, the latter outlining in clear, concise language what Bell believed to be the most significant trends in mathematics.

      Bell is best known for his popular books, such as Men of Mathematics (1937) and Mathematics, Queen and Servant of Science (1951). He also wrote a history of Fermat's last theorem, The Last Problem (1961). Although rather fanciful and not always historically accurate, these works, particularly Men of Mathematics, continue to attract a wide readership. Under the pen name of John Taine, Bell wrote many books of science fiction, including The Time Stream (1946).

Additional Reading

Constance Reid, The Search for E.T. Bell: Also Known as John Taine (1993), meticulously unearths the details of Bell's early life and later work.

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