Jacopo Francesco Riccati (28 May 1676 – 15 April 1754) was an Italian mathematician, born in Venice. He is now remembered for the Riccati equation. He died in Treviso in 1754.

Education

He received his early education at the Jesuit school for the nobility in Brescia. Then he entered the University of Padua in 1693 to study law, and earning a doctorate in law (Ll.d.) in 1696. Encouraged by Stefano degli Angeli to pursue mathematics, he studied the then latest methods of mathematical analysis.

Career

He declined various academic offers, and devoted himself to his studies at home. Peter the Great invited him to Russia as president of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. He was also asked to Vienna as an imperial councilor and was offered a professorship at the University of Padua. He declined all these offers.

He was often consulted by the Senate of Venice on the construction of canals and dikes along rivers.

Personal life

His father Ars Riccati came from a noble family who owned land near Venice. His father was the Conte Montino Riccati and his mother was from the powerful Colonna family. His father died in 1686, when Riccati was only ten, leaving him quite wealthy.

Jacopo's son, Vincenzo Riccati, a Jesuit, followed his father's footsteps and pioneered the development of hyperbolic functions.

A second son, Giordano Riccati was the first to measure the ratio of Young's moduli of metals - predating the better known Thomas Young by 25 years.

Honors

He was named honorary Academician of the Institute of Bologna in 1723.

External links

* O'Connor, John J.; Robertson, Edmund F., "Jacopo Riccati", MacTutor History of Mathematics archive, University of St Andrews, http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Riccati.html .