Blaise pascal biography pascaline bellegarde

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Who Was Blaise Pascal?

In the s mathematician Blaise Pascal invented the Pascaline, an early calculator, and further validated Evangelista Torricelli's theory concerning the cause of barometrical variations.

In the s, Pascal laid the foundation of probability theory with Pierre de Fermat and published the theological work Les Provinciales, a groundbreaking series of letters that defended his Jansenist faith. Pascal is also widely known for his body of notes posthumously released as the Pensées.

Blaise pascal biography pascaline bellegarde

Early Life

Pascal, born on June 19, , in Clermont-Ferrand, France, was the third of four children and only son to Etienne and Antoinette Pascal. His mother passed away when Pascal was just a toddler and he became exceptionally close to his two sisters Gilberte and Jacqueline.

His father, Etienne, was a tax collector and talented mathematician.

Etienne moved the family to Paris in He had decided to educate Pascal — a child prodigy — at home so he could design an