Stevin, Simon (Energy)
Stevin, Simon
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Simon Stevin (1548-1620), a Flemish scientist and engineer who introduced decimal fractions to Europe; he also made important contributions to our understanding of energy mechanics. In a small pamphlet called De Thiende ('The Tenth'), first published in Dutch in 1586, he introduced decimal fractions by writing 8.937 as 80913273. The first figure was the integer or unit of commencement (represented by the 0), and subsequent ones the prime, second and third represented by the 1, 2 and 3. Robert Norton published an English translation in 1608 titled Disme, The Arts of Tenths, or Decimal Arithmetike. This translation reportedly influenced Thomas Jefferson in his decision to propose a decimal currency for the United States (note that one tenth of a dollar is called a dime). In the area of energy, Stevin made pioneering contributions to mechanics, describing the theory of levers, the inclined plane and pulleys, and formulated the concept of the parallelogram of forces (c. 1586).
