N. I. LOBACHEVSKY (1792 - 1856)

N. I. Lobachevsky was born on December 1, 1792 near Nizhni Novgorod. When he was a child, his family moved to Kazan where Lobachevsky entered the gymnasium. His progress in mathematics was extremely rapid there.

When he was only 14 years old, he entered the University of Kazan.

At the age of 19 Lobachevsky was awarded a Master's Degree. At the age of 24 he became a professor of mathematics at Kazan University. In 1827 Lobachevsky was appointed rector of the University and later re-elected six times. So he was at the head of the University for 19 years.

I 1826 when Lobachevsky was 34 years old, he succeeded in solving the problem which the mathematicians of the world had failed to solve for more than 2,000 years - he created non-Euclidean geometry, one of the greatest masterpieces of mathematics.

In spite of Lobachevsky's great contribution to science the scientists of Russian Academy did not support him. They even laughed at him and his geometry. The scientists of Europe didn't support him either. In 1846 he was dismissed from his office. In spite of this he continued his work and when he got blind, he dictated his new masterpiece Pan-geometry to his pupils.

Lobachevsky died in 1856 at the age of 63. He was both an outstanding mathematician and philosopher-materialist. His non-Euclidean geometry had a great influence on the development of mathematical sciences.

Today Lobachevsky's name is known all over the world and as he was a revolutionary in science, he is often called Copernicus of geometry.

be awarded a degree получить ученую степень

either также (при отрицании)

had failed to solve зд. не смогли объяснить

succeeded in solving зд. смог решить