ALEXANDER, a very eminent mathematician, who flourished in the early part of the 17th century. He was born at Aberdeen, but passed over to the Continent, and settled as a private teacher or professor of mathematics at Paris, where he published or edited, between the years 1612 and 1619, various geometrical and algebraical tracts, which are conspicuous for their ingenuity and elegance. It is doubtful whether he was ever acquainted with the famous Vieta, master of requests at Paris, who died in 1603; but his pure taste and skill in mathematical investigation had pointed him out to the executors of that illustrious man, who had found leisure, in the intervals of a laborious profession, to cultivate and extend the ancient geometry, and, by adopting a system of general symbols, to lay the foundation and begin the superstructure of algebraical science, as the person most proper for revising and publishing his valuable manuscripts. Anderson did not come forward, however, as a mere editor; he enriched the texts with learned comments, and gave neat demonstrations of those propositions which had been left imperfect. He afterwards produced a specimen of the application of geometrical analysis, which is distinguished by its clearness and classic elegance.
Of this able geometer we are ignorant both of the time of his birth and of his death. His brother David Ander- Anderson, son, a small proprietor in Aberdeenshire, but engaged in business, had likewise a strong turn for mathematics and mechanics, which, joined to great versatility of talent, made him be regarded by his neighbours at that period as a sort of oracle. The daughter of this clever and active burgess was married to John Gregory, minister of Drumoak, in that county, father to the celebrated James Gregory, inventor of the reflecting telescope; and is supposed to have communicated to her children that taste for mathematical learning which afterwards shone forth so remarkably in the family of the Gregorys.
The works of Anderson amount to six thin quarto volumes, which are now very scarce. These are,
1. Supplementum Apollonii Redivivi; sive, Analysis problematum bactenus desiderati ad Apollonii Pergaei doctrinam επιστολα, a Marino Ghetaldo Patriotio Ragusino hucusque non ita pridem restitutum. In qua exhibet Mechanicæ æqualitatum tertii gradus sive solidarum, in quibus magnitudine omnino datae sequatur homogeneæ sub altero tantum coefficiente ignoto. Huic subnexa est variarum problematum practice, codem Auctore. Parisis, 1612, 4to. This tract refers to the problem of inclinations, by which, in certain cases, the application of the curve called the conchoid is superseded.
2. Ἀναλυτικά: Pro Zeteticó Apolloniani problematis a se jam pridem edito in supplemento Apollonii Redivivi. Ad clarissimum et ornatissimum virum Marium Ghetaldum Patriotio Ragusinum. In qua ad ea que obiter inibi perstrinxit Ghetaldus respondebit, et analytices usus clarius detegitur. Parisis, 1615, 4to. This is an addition to the author's former work.
3. Francisci Vieta Fontenaccensis de Æquationum Recognitione et Emendatione Tractatus Duo. Parisis, 1615, 4to. To this work Anderson has supplied the dedication, preface, and appendix.
4. Ad Angularium Sectionum Analyticen Theoremata Kæstigænægia, a Francisco Vieta Fontenacci excogitata, ad absque ulla demonstratione ad nos transmissa, jam tandem demonstrationibus confirmata. Parisis, 1615, 4to.
5. Vindiciae Archimedis; sive, Elenchus Cyclometriae Novæ a Philippo Lansbergio nuper editæ. Parisis, 1616, 4to.
6. Alexandri Andersoni Scoti Exercitationum Mathematicarum Decas prima: continens Questionum aliquot, que nobilissimorum tum hujus tum veteris ævi Mathematicorum ingenia exercerent, Enodationem. Parisis, 1619, 4to.