E. W. Hobson

Ernest William Hobson FRS[1] (27 October 1856 – 19 April 1933) was an English mathematician, now remembered mostly for his books, some of which broke new ground in their coverage in English of topics from mathematical analysis. He was Sadleirian Professor of Pure Mathematics at the University of Cambridge from 1910 to 1931.

E. W. Hobson
Ernest William Hobson (1856–1933)
Born27 October 1856
Derby, England
Died19 April 1933 (1933-04-20) (aged 76)
NationalityBritish
Alma materRoyal School of Mines
Christ's College, Cambridge
Known forReal analysis
AwardsRoyal Medal (1907)
De Morgan Medal (1920)
Scientific career
FieldsMathematician
InstitutionsChrist's College, Cambridge
Notable studentsPhilippa Fawcett
John Maynard Keynes

Life

He was born in Derby, and was educated at Derby School, the Royal School of Mines, and Christ's College, Cambridge, graduating Senior Wrangler in 1878.[2] He was the brother of the economist John A. Hobson. He became a Fellow of Christ's almost immediately after graduation. He made his way into research mathematics only gradually, becoming an expert in the theory of spherical harmonics.

His 1907 work on real analysis was something of a watershed in the British mathematical tradition; and was lauded by G. H. Hardy.[3] It included material on general topology and Fourier series that was topical at the time; and included mistakes that were picked up later (for example by R. L. Moore).

From 1924 to 1927, Robert Pollock Gillespie studied under him.[4]

He is buried in the Parish of the Ascension Burial Ground in Cambridge, with his wife Seline, born 25 March 1860, died 10 June 1940, by whom he had four sons, one of whom Walter William (1894 - 1930) is buried with them in the same grave.

Works
  • A Treatise on Trigonometry (1891)
  • Theory of Functions of a Real Variable (1907)[5]
  • Hobson, E. W. (1921) [1907], The theory of functions of a real variable and the theory of Fourier's series. Vol. I (2nd ed.), Cambridge University Press, MR 0092828[6]
  • Hobson, E. W. (1926) [1907], The theory of functions of a real variable and the theory of Fourier's series. Vol. II (2nd ed.), Cambridge University Press, MR 0092829[7]
    • Vol. I, 3rd edition (1927)[8]
  • Mathematics, from the points of view of the Mathematician and of the Physicist (1912)
  • Squaring the Circle (1913)[9]
  • John Napier and the Invention of Logarithms, 1614 (1914)[10]
  • The Domain of Natural Science (1923) Gifford Lectures[11]
  • The Theory of Spherical and Ellipsoidal Harmonics (1931)[12]

See also

References
  1. "Ernest William Hobson. 1856-1933". Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society. 1 (3): 236–413. 1934. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1934.0008.
  2. "Hobson, Ernest William (HB874EW)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  3. lms newsletter Archived 2010-10-18 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Gillespie biography". Archived from the original on 13 May 2012.
  5. "Review of The Theory of Functions of a Real Variable and the Theory of Fourier's Series by E. W. Hobson". The Athenaeum (4168): 307. 14 September 1907.
  6. Moore, Charles N. (1922). "Book Review: The Theory of Functions of a Real Variable and the Theory of Fourier's Series". Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society. 28 (5): 266–271. doi:10.1090/S0002-9904-1922-03545-8.
  7. Carmichael, R. D. (1927). "Book Review: The Theory of Functions of a Real Variable and the Theory of Fourier's Series, 2nd edition". Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society. 33: 115–119. doi:10.1090/S0002-9904-1927-04330-0.
  8. Carmichael, R. D. (1928). "Book Review: The Theory of Functions of a Real Variable and the Theory of Fourier's Series, 3rd edition". Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society. 34 (4): 531–532. doi:10.1090/S0002-9904-1928-04604-9.
  9. Archibald, R. C. (1914). "Book Review: "Squaring the Circle," A History of the Problem". Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society. 21 (2): 82–94. doi:10.1090/S0002-9904-1914-02564-9.
  10. Archibald, R. C. (1916). "Book Review: John Napier and the Invention of Logarithms". Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society. 22 (4): 182–188. doi:10.1090/S0002-9904-1916-02749-2.
  11. Mead, George H. (1924). "Review of The Domain of Natural Science by E. W. Hobson". The Journal of Religion. 4 (3): 324–327. doi:10.1086/480439.
  12. Franklin, Philip (1932). "Book Review: The Theory of Spherical and Ellipsoidal Harmonics". Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society. 38 (7): 479–480. doi:10.1090/S0002-9904-1932-05449-0.
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