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John Napier
John Napier John Napier, detail of an oil painting, 1616; in the collection of the University of Edinburgh.

John Napier

Scottish mathematician
Also known as: John Neper
Written by
Joseph Frederick Scott
Vice-Principal; Principal Lecturer in Mathematics, St. Mary's College, Strawberry Hill, England. Author of A History of Mathematics.
Joseph Frederick Scott
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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John Napier (born 1550, Merchiston Castle, near Edinburgh, Scotland—died April 4, 1617, Merchiston Castle) was a Scottish mathematician and theological writer who originated the concept of logarithms as a mathematical device to aid in calculations. At the age of 13, Napier entered the University of St. Andrews, but his stay appears to have been short, and he left without taking a degree. Little is known of Napier’s early life, but it is thought that he...

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