Lajos Martin (30 August 1827 – 4 March 1897) was a Hungarian
mathematician
A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems.
Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change.
History
On ...
and
engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
, known by his works in
transportation
Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, ...
and
aerodynamics
Aerodynamics, from grc, ἀήρ ''aero'' (air) + grc, δυναμική (dynamics), is the study of the motion of air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dyn ...
.
Life and work
He was the seventh son of a wine grower. After completing his studies in the Roman Catholic Secondary School, he began studies in the
University of Pest
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
. The
1848 European revolutions disrupted his studies and due his active participation was imprisoned and after enrolled in the
Imperial Army. Finally, he finished his studies graduating in 1854 in the Military Engineering Academy in
Vienna
en, Viennese
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.
[, page 426.]
He was teaching in the Vienna's Military School until 1859 when he left the army and returned to
Buda
Buda (; german: Ofen, sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Budim, Будим, Czech and sk, Budín, tr, Budin) was the historic capital of the Kingdom of Hungary and since 1873 has been the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest, on the ...
where he worked privately as civil engineer until 1861. From 1863 to 1868 he was teaching at secondary schools in
Selmecbánya and
Pressburg
Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approximately 140% of ...
and he wrote some textbooks on mathematics in this level.
In 1872 he was appointed professor of mathematics in the university of
Kolozsvár
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, subdivision_name1 = Cluj County
, subdivision_type2 = Status
, subdivision_name2 = County seat
, settlement_type = City
, le ...
. He became rector of the university in 1895–1896 and in his inaugural discourse he spoke about the importance of flights in the transportation of people and goods.
He began his research in
ballistics
Ballistics is the field of mechanics concerned with the launching, flight behaviour and impact effects of projectiles, especially ranged weapon munitions such as bullets, unguided bombs, rockets or the like; the science or art of designing and a ...
in the army, and he followed his theoretical and experimental works in this area all his life. He became also interested in
hydraulics
Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counter ...
and in the search of the most efficient propeller. In his last years he worked in aerodynamics and he had a very clear idea about aviation would be in the future.
[, page 214.]
left, 150px, Burial place in Hazsongard Cemetery
References
Bibliography
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Lajos
1827 births
1897 deaths
19th-century Hungarian mathematicians
Engineers from Budapest
Members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Academic staff of Franz Joseph University
People from Buda
Hungarian inventors
