Edward Wright (1561–1615) was an English mathematician and cartographer noted for his book Certaine Errors in Navigation, which for the first time explained the mathematical basis of the Mercator projection, and set out a reference table giving the linear scale multiplication factor as a function of latitude, calculated for each minute of arc up to a latitude of 75°. This was the essential step needed to make practical both the making and the navigational use of Mercator charts. In 1589 Elizabeth I requested that he carry out navigational studies with a raiding expedition organised by the Earl of Cumberland to the Azores to capture Spanish galleons. The expedition's route was the subject of the first map to be prepared according to Wright's projection, which was published in Certaine Errors in 1599. The same year, Wright created and published the first world map produced in England and the first to use the Mercator projection since Gerardus Mercator's original 1569 map. Apart from a number of other books and pamphlets, Wright translated John Napier's pioneering 1614 work which introduced the idea of logarithms from Latin into English. This was published after Wright's death as A Description of the Admirable Table of Logarithmes. Wright's work influenced, among other persons, Dutch astronomer and mathematician Willebrord Snellius; Adriaan Metius, the geometer and astronomer from Holland; and the English mathematician Richard Norwood.
Read the rest of this article: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Wright_%28mathematician%29> _______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries: 79: The volcano Mount Vesuvius (artist's depiction) erupted, burying the towns of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae in Italy. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vesuvius> 1814: War of 1812: British forces invaded Washington, D.C., setting fire to the White House and other U.S. government buildings. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_Washington> 1821: The Treaty of Córdoba was signed in Córdoba, Veracruz, ratifying the Plan of Iguala and concluding Mexico's War of Independence from Spain. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_War_of_Independence> 1942: World War II: The United States aircraft carrier Saratoga sank the Japanese aircraft carrier Ryūjō at the Battle of the Eastern Solomons near Santa Isabel, Solomon Islands, helping to lead to an Allied powers victory. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Eastern_Solomons> 2006: The International Astronomical Union redefined the term "planet", reclassifying Pluto as a dwarf planet. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAU_definition_of_planet> _____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day: scrutinize (v): 1. To examine something with great care. 2. To audit accounts in order to verify them <http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/scrutinize> ___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day: A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art. --Jorge Luis Borges <http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jorge_Luis_Borges> _______________________________________________ Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list. To unsubscribe, visit: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l Questions or comments? Contact [email protected]
