Mathematical Treasure: Ozanam’s Mathematique & Mathematicks

Author(s):

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University)

Jacques Ozanam (1640-1718) was a French mathematician, teacher of mathematics, and prolific textbook writer. His books were very popular and adopted in other countries as well. Although he listed himself as “Professor of Mathematics” and lived in Paris, his association with any university remains unknown. Ozanam was elected to the Academy of Sciences in 1701. Among his students was Abraham de Moivre.

The following images are from the second volume of Ozanam’s Cours de Mathematique (1693).

Title page of Ozanam's 1693 Cours de Mathematiques.

The following plates from this text illustrate the applied nature of the material presented.

Trigonometry for making sundials:

Table 1 from Jacques Ozanam's Cours de mathematique.

Surveying and fortification:

Table 11 from Jacques Ozanam's Cours de mathematique.

Trigonometry and surveying:

Table 13 from Jacques Ozanam's Cours de mathematiques.

More sundialling:

Table 30 from Jacques Ozanam's Cours de mathematiques.

Drawing and perspective:

Table 36 from Jacques Ozanam's Cours de mathematiques.

A Complete Course of the Mathematicks (1712) is an English language translation of Ozanam’s work. It was very popular in England. The Preface is presented here to indicate the spirit in which mathematics was viewed.

Title page for A Complete Course of the Mathematicks (1712).