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    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 12/2/20 12:38 PM, Dave Horsfall

      wrote:<br>

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    <blockquote type="cite"

      cite="mid:alpine.BSF.2.21.9999.2012030703580.85468@aneurin.horsfall.org">Born

      3rd Dec 1616, he was a cryptographer and mathematician (pretty

      much the same thing).

      <br>

      <br>

          <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.onthisday.com/people/john-wallis">https://www.onthisday.com/people/john-wallis</a>

      <br>

      <br>

      He introduced the symbol "∞" for infinity, amongst other things;

      an amazing bloke.

      <br>

    </blockquote>

    <p>According to Wikipedia, his math study was erratic because

      "mathematics, at that time with us, were scarce looked on as

      academical studies, but rather mechanical".</p>

    <p>Interesting to consider.</p>

    -kb, the Kent who notes that these days most people consider math as

    very academical, but <i>otherwise</i> pointless.

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