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# Many roads, one destination: Three proofs of the Euler identity

by

Prof. Edward Sandifer
Department of Mathematics, Western Connecticut State University

January 13, 2009
4:00 pm
Bailey Hall 207

Refreshments will be served at 3:45 in Bailey 204

## Abstract:

Some people regard the Euler identity, $e^{i \theta}= \cos \theta + i \sin \theta$ as the most beautiful result in all of mathematics. There are many proofs of this result. We will give three of them, Euler's proof of 1748, the one Lagrange favored in 1797, and Cauchy's ingenious proof of 1821, and we will see how the different ideas behind their proofs reflected changes in what people expected mathematics to be and to do.

For additional information, send e-mail to math@union.edu or call (518) 388-6246.
Up: Student Seminars for 2009
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