He studied mathematics all his life and was famous for inventing logarithmic operation. Astronomers Tycho Brahe (Tycho, 1546 ~ 160 1) and others made a lot of observations, which required a lot of calculation and multiplication of several numbers, so it was very miserable. 1594, in order to find a simple method to calculate the spherical triangle, he constructed the logarithmic method with a unique method. This made him recorded in the history of mathematics, but it took him 20 years to complete this logarithm. 1614 The first logarithmic monograph, Mirifici Logarithmorum Canonis Descriptio, published in Edinburgh in June, clarified the logarithmic principle, which was later called Napier Logx. 16 16 Briggs (Henry Briggs, 156 1- 1630) visited Napier, and put forward that it is most convenient to improve the logarithm table based on ten, and ten is the logarithm commonly used later. Unfortunately, Napier died in the spring of 16 17. Later, Briggs inherited Napier's unfinished business all his life, and listed a very detailed logarithmic table based on 10. The wonderful logarithmic rule structure was published in 16 19, in which the methods of logarithmic calculation and table matching were expounded in detail.
Napier is particularly interested in numerical calculation, and his interest lies in the operation of spherics, which rises in response to astronomical activities. He re-established 10 ingenious notation for solving spherical right triangle formula-the partial rule of circle (Napier circle rule) and two formulas for solving spherical non-right triangle-Napier analogy formula and Napier calculation of multiplication and division. In addition, he also invented the Napier ruler, which can mechanically multiply and divide numbers and find the square root of numbers.
In Napier's time, Copernicus's "sun-centered theory" was just popular, which led to astronomy becoming a hot subject at that time. However, due to the limitations of constant mathematics at that time, astronomers had to spend a lot of energy to calculate those complicated "astronomical figures", thus wasting precious time for several years or even a lifetime. Napier was also an astronomy enthusiast at that time. In order to simplify the calculation, he devoted himself to studying the calculation technology of large numbers for many years, and finally invented logarithm independently.