mathematics

Olaus Henrici

Olaus Henrici is a mathematics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Olaus Henrici rather than just read about it. In short: Olaus Magnus Friedrich Erdmann Henrici, FRS (9 March 1840, Meldorf, Duchy of Holstein – 10 August 1918, Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, England) was a German mathematician who became a professor in London. After three years as an apprentice in engineering, Henrici entered Karlsruhe Polytechnium where he came under the influence of Alfred Clebsch who encouraged him in mathematics.

Key takeaways

Olaus Henrici belongs to mathematics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Olaus Henrici to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Olaus Henrici from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Olaus Magnus Friedrich Erdmann Henrici, FRS (9 March 1840, Meldorf, Duchy of Holstein – 10 August 1918, Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, England) was a German mathematician who became a professor in London. After three years as an apprentice in engineering, Henrici entered Karlsruhe Polytechnium where he came under the influence of Alfred Clebsch who encouraged him in mathematics. He then went to Heidelberg where he studied with Otto Hesse. Henrici attained his Dr. phil. degree on 6 June 1863 at University of Heidelberg. He continued his studies in Berlin with Karl Weierstrass and Leopold Kronecker. He was briefly docent of mathematics and physics at the University of Kiel, but ran into financial difficulties. Henrici moved to London in 1865 where he worked as a private tutor. In 1869 Hesse introduced him to J. J. Sylvester who in turn brought him into contact with Arthur Cayley, William Kingdon Clifford, and Thomas Archer Hirst. It was Hirst that gave him some work at University College London. Henrici also became a professor at Bedford College. When Hirst fell ill, Henrici filled his position at University College. He held the position until 1884, turning to applied mathematics after 1880. From 1882 to 1884 Henrici was President of the London Mathematical Society. In 1884 he moved to Central Technical College where he directed a Laboratory of Mechanics which included calculating machines, planimeters, moment integrators, and a harmonic analyzer. Henrici was impressed by the work of Robert Stawell Ball in screw theory as presented in a German textbook by Gravelius. In 1890 Henrici wrote a book review for Nature outlining the program of the theory. In 1911 he retired and took up gardening at Chandler's Ford in Hampshire.

Works Skeleton Structures: Especially in Their Application to the Building of Steel & Iron Bridges. New York: Van Nostrand, 1867. Elementary Geometry: Congruent Figures. London: Longmans, Green, 1879. Elementary Geometry: Congruent Figures. London: Longmans, Green, second edition 1888. Vectors and rotors, 1903.

References

Hall, A. Rupert (1982). Science for industry: a short history of the Imperial College of Science and Technology and its antecedents. Imperial College. ISBN 978-0-85287-143-0.

External links Works by or about Olaus Henrici at the Internet Archive Works by or about Olaus Henrici at Wikisource O'Connor, John J.; Robertson, Edmund F., "Olaus Henrici", MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive, University of St Andrews Olaus Henrici at the Mathematics Genealogy Project

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Olaus Henrici

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Olaus Henrici claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In mathematics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Olaus Henrici before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Olaus Henrici ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Olaus Henrici

In research: Olaus Henrici appears in mathematics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Olaus Henrici in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Olaus Henrici is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1840 births, 1918 deaths, 19th-century German mathematicians, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Olaus Henrici outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Olaus Henrici in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Olaus Henrici means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Olaus Henrici out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Olaus Henrici in simple terms?

Why does Olaus Henrici matter?

Because it connects several mathematics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Olaus Henrici?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Olaus Henrici.