Farkas Bolyai

Farkas Bolyai ( born February 9, 1775 in Bolya, Transylvania, † November 20, 1856 in Marosvásárhely ), German Wolfgang Bolyai was a Hungarian mathematician.

Bolyai studied at the Universities of Cluj, Jena and Göttingen, where he became a close friend of Carl Friedrich Gauss. In 1802 he became professor of mathematics, physics and chemistry at the Calvinist College in Marosvásárhely, where he worked until 1849.

He examined whether the axiom of parallels can be derived from the other four axioms of Euclidean geometry. Here he found eight equivalent statements contained in his major work Tentamen (1832 ). Among other things, he proved the logical equivalence of the statement "By three are not on a straight points there is a circle " to the parallel postulate.

Farkas Bolyai was the father of the mathematician János Bolyai.

Writings

• Paul Stäckel (ed.): Wolfgang and Johann Bolyai. Geometric studies, BG Teubner, Leipzig and Berlin 1913 First part. Life and writings of the two Bolyai ( biography)
• Second part. Pieces from the writings of the Bolyai