Bernoulli was the family name of three Swiss mathematicians: two brothers, Jakob and Johann, and Johann’s son Daniel.
Jakob Bernoulli
(1654-1705) did pioneering work in probability theory, analytic geometry, and calculus at the University of Basel. Probability theory is a branch of mathematics that deals with chance or random phenomena. Analytic geometry uses algebra to solve problems in geometry; and calculus deals with changing quantities. Jakob Bernoulli was born in Basel on Dec. 27, 1654, and died there on Aug. 16, 1705.
Johann Bernoulli
(1667-1748) worked in applied mathematics on such topics as astronomy, the tides, and optics. Johann Bernoulli was born in Basel on July 27, 1667, and died there on Jan. 1, 1748. He succeeded Jakob as professor of mathematics at the University of Basel in 1705.
Daniel Bernoulli
(1700-1782) developed principles that he could use to calculate the flow of fluids. He discovered a law of physics called Bernoulli’s principle, which states that the pressure of a fluid decreases as its speed increases (see Bernoulli’s principle ). He also contributed to probability theory and calculus. Daniel Bernoulli was born in Groningen, the Netherlands, on Jan. 29, 1700. He became a professor at the University of Basel in 1733. He died on March 17, 1782.
