1. A Brilliant Teacher and Stargazer
By day, Omar Khayyam was a renowned teacher of algebra and geometry, and by night he was an avid astronomer. He was said to have devoted his days to teaching and his nights to studying the stars, and his passion for mathematics and astronomy was renowned throughout the region. His work in both fields was highly influential, and his contributions to algebra and geometry are still studied today.
Also → 9th c. Persian mathematician al-Khwarizmi: Father of Algebra
Advertisement2. Poet of Love, Fate, and Transience
Omar Khayyam is renowned for his prolific output of poetry, with an estimated 1,000 four line verses attributed to him. His works are renowned for their lyrical beauty and philosophical depth, and have been translated into many languages. His most famous work is the Rubaiyat, a collection of quatrains that explore themes of love, fate, and the transitory nature of life. His influence on Persian literature is undeniable, and his works continue to be studied and appreciated by scholars and readers alike.
Also → Avicenna: The renowned Persian polymath
3. Omar Khayyam's Calendars Still Used Today
Omar Khayyam, along with his colleagues, is renowned for their incredible feat of accurately creating a calendar that included leap years and accurately depicted the average year length. This calendar was a remarkable achievement, as it was incredibly precise and took into account the complexities of the solar system. It was a major advancement in the field of astronomy and mathematics, and it is still used today.
Also → Leibniz: Math & Philosophy Giant
4. Math Pioneer
Omar Khayyam, a Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet, is renowned for his work on extracting cubes and fourth roots, as well as nth roots of numbers. His work was groundbreaking in its time, and has been used as a basis for modern mathematical techniques. His work was so influential that it has been studied and referenced by mathematicians for centuries, and is still used today in many areas of mathematics.
Also → Gauss, the Master of Mathematics
Advertisement5. Revolutionary Philosopher Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam is renowned for his treatise, which is considered to be the first of its kind to use parallels and axioms. His work was revolutionary in its use of mathematical principles to explain philosophical concepts, and it has been highly influential in the development of mathematics and philosophy. His treatise is still studied today, and its impact on the fields of mathematics and philosophy is undeniable.
Also → Euclid: The Father of Geometry
6. A Renowned Scholar Who Studied Under Two Great Teachers
Omar Khayyam was a renowned scholar who studied under two of the greatest teachers of the Khorassan region: Sheik Muhammad Mansuri and Imam Mowaffaw Nishapuri. Under the tutelage of these two esteemed teachers, Khayyam was able to hone his skills in mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy, and his works in these fields have been highly influential in the centuries since. Nishapuri in particular is considered one of the most influential teachers of the Khorassan region, and his teachings have had a lasting impact on Khayyam's work.
Also → "Al-Farabi: A Polymath of Many Talents"
7. Omar Khayyam's Tragic Life After Sultan Malik Shah's Death
When Sultan Malik Shah passed away, Omar Khayyam, who had been his trusted adviser, found himself in a precarious situation. His widow, feeling betrayed, abandoned him and set off for Mecca. This sudden turn of events left Khayyam in a difficult position, as he had been relying on the Sultan's patronage for his livelihood.
Also → Al-Battani, 9th century mathematician, pioneer in trigonometry
Advertisement8. The Poet Forgotten Until Edward FitzGerald
The works of Omar Khayyam, the 11th-century Persian poet, were largely unknown until the 19th century, when English poet Edward FitzGerald studied and translated them. FitzGerald's translations of Khayyam's quatrains, known as the Rubaiyat, brought the poet's work to a much wider audience, and his influence has been felt in literature, art, and music ever since.
Also → The Greatest Work in Astronomy
9. Poet & Mathematician from Tent-Maker Family
Omar Khayyam, the renowned Persian poet and mathematician, was born into a family of tent-makers, a profession that his name literally translates to. His family was known for their skill in making tents, and it is believed that this is where Khayyam developed his passion for mathematics and poetry. He is best known for his collection of poems, the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, which has been translated into many languages and is still widely read today.
Also → Charles Babbage: Pre-eminent polymath of the 19th century
10. One of the most influential mathematicians of all time
Omar Khayyam is renowned for his influential work on algebra, particularly his "Treatise on Demonstration of Problems of Algebra". This piece is considered one of the most important works on the subject, and has been studied and referenced by mathematicians for centuries. It is a comprehensive treatise that covers topics such as equations, polynomials, and geometric progressions, and is credited with introducing the concept of a cubic equation with multiple solutions.
