John Napier
| John Napier | |
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John Napier (1550–1617)
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| Born |
February 1, 1550 Merchiston Tower, Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 4 April 1617 (aged 66–67) Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Fields | Mathematician |
| Alma mater | University of St Andrews |
| Known for |
Logarithms Napier's bones Decimal notation |
| Influenced | Henry Briggs |
John Napier of Merchiston (/ˈneɪpɪər/; 1 February, 1550 – 4 April 1617); also signed as Neper, Nepair; nicknamed Marvellous Merchiston) was a Scottish landowner known as a mathematician, physicist, and astronomer. He was the 8th Laird of Merchiston. His Latinized name was Joannes Neper.
John Napier is best known as the discoverer of logarithms. He also invented the so-called "Napier's bones" and made common the use of the decimal point in arithmetic and mathematics.
Napier's birthplace, Merchiston Tower in Edinburgh, is now part of the facilities of Edinburgh Napier University. Napier died from the effects of gout at home at Merchiston Castle and his remains were buried in the kirkyard of St Giles. Following the loss of the kirkyard there to build Parliament House, he was memorialised at St Cuthbert's at the west side of Edinburgh.
Napier's father was Sir Archibald Napier of Merchiston Castle, and his mother was Janet Bothwell, daughter of the politician and judge Francis Bothwell, Lord of Session, and a sister of Adam Bothwell who became the Bishop of Orkney. Archibald Napier was 16 years old when John Napier was born.
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