The Life of Maria Agnesi

James Hembree

This project explores the life of Maria Gaetana Agnesi, her famous textbook, the curve that shares her name, and her piety. She was an 18th century mathematician and pious Roman Catholic. She was extraordinarily precocious as a child. Her main contribution to mathematics was a synthesis of previous results in mathematical analysis into a revolutionary calculus textbook which contains, in the English translation, a curve bearing a curious name. After the death of her father, she turned away from mathematical aspirations to a life of tremendous charity towards others.

• James Hembree graduated from Cold Springs Mennonite School in Abbeville. He is a transfer student who previously attended Piedmont Technical College. He is currently a junior studying mathematics with a minor in philosophy.