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= = = //Rene Descartes// = = "I think, therefore I am." =

__A Quick Personal History__

 * Descartes was born March 31, 1596 in La Haye, France, to Joachim Descartes Jeanne Brochard.
 * His father was both a lawyer and a magistrate.
 * His mother died soon after his birth; he was raised by his grandparents.
 * He went to the Jesuit college La Fleche when he was //ten years old.//
 * After studying there for eight years, he then transferred to the University of Poitiers.
 * He received his Baccalaureate and License in Canon and Civil Law shortly afterwards.
 * He served in the military for several years.
 * He was not just a mathematician, but a famous philosopher as well.

**Most notably:** ﻿His invention of the coordinate system makes calculus possible.

__Biggest Contribution__
=== ﻿ Descartes did not create calculus, but he made the discoveries that helped open the doors for future mathematicians: he connected algebra and geometry into a usable, reliable system, called coordinate geometry or analytic geometry. ===

The above image is a standard Cartesian Coordinate System.
 * The two primary uses of calculus are to determine the tangent to a curve and the area enclosed by a plane curve, both of which are measured on this system.
 * Descartes discovered that algebraic functions could be placed on two axes, the X-axis and the Y-axis, to show a physical representation of each function's meaning.

__What this Does for Calculus__

 * Calculus requires an ability to understand constantly changing quantities.
 * A coordinate system is the perfect tool for finding positions in space.
 * The system allows for combinations of multiple functions to view how they restrict and affect each other.
 * Calculus on a coordinate system can be exceedingly complex, as can be seen here.




 * Using the coordinate system, you can solve tangent line problems.
 * The basis of differential calculus is finding the slope of the tangent on a curve (the derivative).
 * This slope could not be found if it were not for Descartes' coordinate system.