Pierre-Simon Laplace

1. Pierre-SimonLaplace By: Lisa Grilliot Mary Balmes

2. Outline Background Works Bayes� Theorem Buffon-Laplace Needle Problem

3. Background Born March 23, 1749 in Beaumont-en-Auge, Normandy, France Went to school from age 7-16 Father wanted him to get involved in the Church Age of 16: began study at Caen University where two professors discovered his mathematical talent Came from a well off familyCame from a well off family

4. Background Left Caen and went to Paris to pursue his love of math Introduced to Jean d'Alembert Became a professor of mathematics at the �cole Militaire to make money Third times a charm for Acad�mie des Sciences Arrogant He let everyone known widely that he considered himself the best mathematician in France. He let everyone known widely that he considered himself the best mathematician in France.

5. Background 1784: appointed as examiner at the Royal Artillery Corps Because of this job, he became well-known to the ministers of the government and others who held positions of power in France. During his time as the examiner, he examined and passed the 16 year old Napoleon Bonaparte (in 1785).

6. Napoleon & Laplace Napoleon: You have written this huge book on the system of the world without once mentioning the author of the universe. Laplace: Sire, I had no need of that hypothesis. (example of his arrogance) Later when Napoleon told Lagrange about the incident, Lagrange commented: Ah, but that is a fine hypothesis. It explains so many things.

7. Background Laplace served on a committee set up to investigate the largest hospital in Paris Compared mortality rates at the hospital with those of other hospitals in France and elsewhere

8. Background Laplace married on May 15, 1788 at the age of 39 His wife, Marie-Charlotte de Courty de Romanges, was 19. They had two children. Left Paris in 1793 and returned July 1794 Reign of terrorReign of terror

9. Background 1795: the �cole Normale was founded with the aim of training school teachers The �cole Normale survived for only four months 1200 pupils, who were training to become school teachers, found the level of teaching well beyond them. 1200 pupils, who were training to become school teachers, found the level of teaching well beyond them.

10. Background member, then chancellor, of the Senate, received the Legion of Honour in 1805. However Napoleon removed Laplace from the office of Minister of the Interior after only six weeks:- ... because he brought the spirit of the infinitely small into the government. Under Napoleon Under Napoleon Under NapoleonUnder Napoleon Under Napoleon Under Napoleon

11. Background Laplace's desire to take a leading role in physics led him to become a founder member of the Soci�t� d'Arcueil in around 1805 The group strongly advocated a mathematical approach to science Became Count of the Empire in 1806 Named a marquis in 1817

12. Laplace�s Death Laplace died on March 5, 1827 in Paris Due to his death, the Academy cancelled a meeting as a sign of respect. What we know is not much. What we do not know is immense.

13. Trait� du M�canique C�leste Laplace's most important work Published in 5 volumes, the first two in 1799 The first volume is divided into two books ~ general laws of equilibrium and motion of solids and also fluids. ~the law of universal gravitation and the motions of the centres of gravity of the bodies in the solar system. The second volume: mechanics applied to a study of the planets He does not attribute many of the ideas to the work of others (Arrogance again?) , included a study of the shape of the Earth Laplace's equation appears but it was in fact known before the time of Laplace. but Laplace was heavily influenced by Lagrange and by Legendre and used methods which they had developed with few references to the originators of the ideas. but Laplace was heavily influenced by Lagrange and by Legendre and used methods which they had developed with few references to the originators of the ideas., included a study of the shape of the Earth Laplace's equation appears but it was in fact known before the time of Laplace. but Laplace was heavily influenced by Lagrange and by Legendre and used methods which they had developed with few references to the originators of the ideas. but Laplace was heavily influenced by Lagrange and by Legendre and used methods which they had developed with few references to the originators of the ideas.

14. What Laplace is know for. Differential equations: Laplace Transforms Solar systems Physics: theory of heat Probability: Bayes� Theorem Central limit theorem maxima and minima of curves where he improved on methods given by Lagrange maxima and minima of curves where he improved on methods given by Lagrange

15. Introduction to Probability Definition of Probability: Where S is the sample space, or the set of all possible outcomes, of the experiment, and A is a subset of S. Conditional Probability: (Venn Diagram) http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz.cfm?qid=139777&origin=http://www.funtrivia.com/quizlistgold.cfm_QN_cat=7615_AND_qns=5+to+25

16. Bayes� Theorem

17. Laplace�s Bayes� Theorem

18. Buffon-Laplace Needle Problem

20. Homework Exercises 1)Supplies Needed: Floor covered with 1ft. square tiles Ruler A pen of approximately normal length a) If you would drop this pen onto the tiled floor, what is the probability that it would rest over a seam in the tile? b) Drop the pen on the tiled floor. Did it rest over a seam?

21. Homework Exercises 2)Suppose that 5% of the men and 2% of the women working for a corporation make over $120,000 a year. If 30% of the employees of the corporation are women, what percent of those who make over 120,000 a year are women?