Zu Chongzhi (429-500) was born in Wen Yuan. Jiankang (now Nanjing) was an outstanding mathematician and astronomer in the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
Zu Chongzhi studied natural science all his life, mainly contributing to mathematics, astronomical calendar and mechanical manufacturing. On the basis of exploring the accurate method of pi pioneered by Liu Hui, he first calculated the "pi" to the seventh place after the decimal point, that is, between 3. 14 15926 and 3. 14 15927. His "ancestral rate" has made great contributions to mathematical research.
It was not until the 6th century A.D./KLOC-that the Arab mathematician Al Cassie broke this record.
The Daming Calendar written by him was the most scientific and progressive calendar at that time, which provided a correct method for future astronomical research. His main works are In the Frontier, Composition, Explaining Words, Li Yi and so on.
Major achievements:
I. Mathematical Achievements: Nine Chapters of Arithmetic
1. A pioneering work in the history of mathematics-"ancestral rate"
Zu Chongzhi calculated the true value of pi (π) between 3. 14 15926 and 3. 14 15927, which is equivalent to being accurate to the seventh decimal place and simplified to 3.141. Therefore, Zu Chongzhi was ranked first in the world record association world.
Zu Chongzhi also gave two fractional forms of pi: 22/7 (approximate rate) and 355/ 1 13 (density rate), in which the density rate is accurate to the seventh decimal place. Zu Chongzhi's accurate calculation of pi is a great contribution to China and even the world. Later generations named him "Zu Chongzhi Pi".
2. Mathematical masterpiece "Composition"
Zu Chongzhi composed five volumes of music, which were included in the famous Ten Books of Computing Classics.
In his creation, Zu Chongzhi raised the issues of "distraction" and "distraction position". The word "difference power" is found in the note of Liu Hui's Nine Chapters Arithmetic, which refers to the difference in area.
"Open variance power" is the difference between the area and the length and width of a known rectangle, and its length and width are calculated by the method of square root. Its concrete solution is to solve the positive root problem with quadratic algebraic equations.
And "deviation" means knowing the difference between the volume and the length, width and height of a cuboid, and finding its side length by drawing a square; At the same time, it also includes the problem of knowing the volume of cylinders and spheres and finding their diameters.
The calculation method adopted is to solve the positive root problem with cubic equation. The solution of cubic equation has never been done before, and Zu Chongzhi's solution is a pioneering work.
Two. Calendar achievement
1. Reform leap method
Zu Chongzhi proposed the new leap moon method of 39 1 year and 144 year. Zu Chongzhi's leap week is extremely accurate. According to his calculation, the length of a tropical year is 365+04438+0 days, which is only 46 seconds away from today's calculation. It was not until the Southern Song Dynasty that more accurate data were available.
Use "precession"
The sun moves once a year (actually, the earth moves once around the sun), so it is impossible to completely return to the winter solstice of last year, and there will always be subtle differences. According to the accurate calculation of modern astronomers, the annual difference is about 50.2 seconds, and it goes backwards every 7 1 year and 8 months. This phenomenon is called precession.
Zu Chongzhi inherited the scientific research achievements of predecessors, not only confirmed the existence of precession, but also calculated precession once every forty-five years and eleven months, and applied precession in his Da Liming.
There are many achievements, not to mention one.
reference data
Zu Chongzhi. Baidu Encyclopedia [reference time 20 18- 1-24]