Fields Mathematics Alma mater University of Glasgow | Known for Text books Name William Trail | |
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Born 23 June 1746
Montrose, Angus, Scotland ( 1746-06-23 ) Died 3 February 1831(1831-02-03) (aged 84)
Bath, England Institutions Marischal College, (University of Aberdeen) | ||
William Trail (23 June 1746 – 3 February 1831) was a mathematician from Scotland in the 18th century, known by his text books.
Life and work
Trail was the son of William Trail (1712–1756) minister of St Monance, Fife; his parents died both in 1756.
In 1759, he entered in Marischal College (Aberdeen) and in 1763 he moved to university of Glasgow where he studied under Robert Simson and graduated M.A. in 1766.
In 1766 he was successful to obtain the chair of mathematics in Marischal College (in competence with John Playfair and Robert Hamilton).
In 1770 he published Elements of Algebra for the use of Students in Universities which was his most famous opera and became a very popular book.
In 1779 he resigned the professorship, obtaining a place in the Church of Ireland and playing his religious duties for the following fifty years.
Trail is also well known by a biography of Robert Simson published in 1812; as biography it is not well-regarded, though it does give a lot of first-hand information about Simson and his geometrical studies.