Leonhard Euler (1707–1783)

In mathematics and physics, many topics are named in honor of Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler (1707–1783), who made many important discoveries and innovations. Many of these items named after Euler include their own unique function, equation, formula, identity, number (single or sequence), or other mathematical entity. Many of these entities have been given simple yet ambiguous names such as Euler's function, Euler's equation, and Euler's formula.

Euler's work touched upon so many fields that he is often the earliest written reference on a given matter. In an effort to avoid naming everything after Euler, some discoveries and theorems are attributed to the first person to have proved them after Euler.

Conjectures

  • Euler's sum of powers conjecture – disproved for exponents 4 and 5 during the 20th century; unsolved for higher exponents
  • Euler's Graeco-Latin square conjecture – proved to be true for ⁠n = 6 {\displaystyle n=6}⁠ and disproved otherwise, during the 20th century

Equations

Usually, Euler's equation refers to one of (or a set of) differential equations (DEs). It is customary to classify them into ODEs and PDEs.

Otherwise, Euler's equation may refer to a non-differential equation, as in these three cases:

Ordinary differential equations

Partial differential equations

Formulas

Functions

Identities

Numbers

Theorems

Laws

  • Euler's first law, the sum of the external forces acting on a rigid body is equal to the rate of change of linear momentum of the body.
  • Euler's second law, the sum of the external moments about a point is equal to the rate of change of angular momentum about that point.

Other things

Topics by field of study

Selected topics from above, grouped by subject, and additional topics from the fields of music and physical systems

Analysis: derivatives, integrals, and logarithms

Geometry and spatial arrangement

Graph theory

Music

Number theory

Physical systems

Polynomials

See also

Notes