Pedro Nunes

Portuguese mathematician

1502   -   1578

country of citizenship: Portugal
language of expression: Portuguese
educated at: University of Salamanca, University of Coimbra, University of Lisbon
occupation: mathematician, geographer, astronomer, cosmographer, physician, philosopher, cartographer

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Pedro Nunes (Portuguese: [ˈpedɾu ˈnunɨʃ]; Latin: Petrus Nonius; 1502 – 11 August 1578) was a Portuguese mathematician, cosmographer, and professor, from a New Christian (of Jewish origin) family.Considered one of the greatest mathematicians of his time, Nunes is best known for his contributions to the nautical sciences (navigation and cartography), which he approached, for the first time, in a mathematical way. He was the first to propose the idea of a loxodrome, and was the inventor of several measuring devices, including the nonius (from which Vernier scale was derived), named after his Latin surname.
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