Adam Ries

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Image:Adam-Riese 1.jpg Adam Ries (1492 - March 30, 1559) was a German mathematician. He is better known by the name Adam Riese; scientists and historians however point out that the correct spelling of his name is Ries.

A native of Staffelstein in Franconia, Ries worked, among other places, in Erfurt and Annaberg, where he headed schools of mathematics. He published three books on calculation:

"Rechnung auff der linihen" (1518)

"Rechnung auff der linihen vnd federn" (1522) (this work had at least 108 editions)

"Rechenung nach der lenge auff den Linihen vnd Feder" (1550) (also known by the short title "Practica")

A fourth book of his, "Coss" (1524) on Algebra could not be published when it was written. The manuscript was first printed in 1992 by the publisher B.G. Teubner.

Adam Ries did not publish his books in Latin, the usual practice at the time, but in German. This way he reached a wider audience and, like Martin Luther, contributed to the unification of the German language.

Ries died in Annaberg.

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