David Gregory

David Gregory
David Gregory (1659-1708)
Born	3 June 1659 Aberdeen, Scotland
Died	10 October 1708 Maidenhead, Berkshire, England
Residence	England
Nationality	Scotland
Fields	Mathematics
Institutions	University of Edinburgh University of Oxford
Alma mater	University of Aberdeen
Doctoral students	John Keill John Craig
Known for	Development of infinite series
Influences	Isaac Newton
Notes He is the nephew of James Gregory.

David Gregory (3 June 1659 – 10 October 1708) was a professor of mathematics at the University of Edinburgh, Savilian Professor of Geometry at the University of Oxford, and a commentator on Isaac Newton's Principia.

Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, the nephew of astronomer and mathematician James Gregory, Gregory studied at Marischal College, University of Aberdeen, from 1671 to 1675, beginning when he was only 12 years old. (There is, however, no evidence that he received a degree.) After his university studies, still only 16 years old, Gregory visited several countries on the continent and did not return to Scotland until 1683. At the age of 24 he was appointed professor of mathematics at the University of Edinburgh. David Gregory was also the uncle of philosopher Thomas Reid.

In 1690, during a period of political and religious unrest in Scotland, Gregory decided to leave for England where, in 1691, he was elected Savilian Professor at the University of Oxford, due in large part to the influence of Isaac Newton. The same year he was elected to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. In 1692, he was elected a Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford.

External links

• O'Connor, John J.; Robertson, Edmund F., "David Gregory (mathematician)", MacTutor History of Mathematics archive, http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Gregory_David.html .
• Significant Scots: David Gregory
• Papers of David Gregory