A history of Cardano's formula

Summary

List of characters

History of the formula

Chronology

References

Proof of the formula

List of characters involved in the discovery of the solution of cubic and quartic equations:

1. Luca Pacioli (1446/1448-1517), from Sansepolcro (Toscana). Franciscan friar, mathematician, accountant, collaborator of Leonardo da Vinci.
   
   
2. Scipione del Ferro (1465-1526) from Bologna. He was appointed lecturer in Arithmetic and Geometry at the University of Bologna in 1496.
   
   
3. Annibale della Nave (1500-1558) (presumably also from Bologna?), son in law of Scipione del Ferro and his successor at the University of Bologna.
   
   
4. Antonio Maria del Fiore (?-?) a student of del Ferro.
   
   
5. Niccolò Fontana Tartaglia (1499/1500-1557), from Brescia. Mathematician, engineer (designed fortifications, studied path of cannon balls), writer.
   
   
6. Gerolamo Cardano (1501-1576), born in Pavia, lived mostly in Milano. Physician, mathematician, astrologer, gambler, well-known author of over 200 books.
   
   
7. Lodovico Ferrari (1522-1565), from Bologna. Came from Bologna to Milano at age 14 to work as servant in Cardano's household. He became rich and famous after his victory over Tartaglia in 1548. He died at the age of 43, and according to legend he was poisoned with arsenic by his sister. [G]