Adriaan Metius
A Dutch mathematician who gave the world its most famous approximation of pi, a number he calculated with astonishing precision for his time.
1571–1635 (age 64)·Dutch geometer and astronomer·Birthday: December 9
Biography
Born in Alkmaar in 1571, Adriaan Metius inherited a passion for measurement from his father, a surveyor and instrument maker. He studied at Leiden and later in Denmark under the famed Tycho Brahe, an experience that cemented his dedication to astronomy and practical mathematics. Returning to the Netherlands, he became a professor at the University of Franeker, where he was known as a clear and effective teacher. His lasting contribution came not from a grand theory, but from a practical calculation: he popularized the remarkably close fraction 355/113 as an approximation for pi, a value that had been discovered earlier in China but was largely unknown in Europe. Metius’s work, blending instrument-making, surveying, and astronomy, exemplified the hands-on, applied scientific spirit of the Dutch Golden Age.
#1 When Adriaan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1571
Adriaan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1571Born
1576Started school
1584Became a teenager
1587Could drive
1589Could vote
1592Turned 21
1601Turned 30
1611Turned 40
1621Turned 50
1631Turned 60
1635Died at 64
Key Achievements
- Authored 'Arithmeticae et geometriae practica', a widely used textbook on practical mathematics.
- Served as a professor of mathematics, military fortification, and astronomy at the University of Franeker for over three decades.
- Played a key role in popularizing the highly accurate fraction 355/113 as an approximation for the mathematical constant pi.
- Designed and improved astronomical instruments, including quadrants and surveying tools.
Did You Know?
His surname 'Metius' is derived from the Dutch word 'meten', meaning 'to measure'.
His brother, Jacob Metius, was an instrument maker who independently applied for a patent for a telescope around the same time as Hans Lippershey.
The lunar crater Metius is named after him.
He initially studied medicine before turning fully to mathematics and astronomy.
“Measure with care, for the heavens are built on geometry.”
