Stirling's Approximation - History

History

The formula was first discovered by Abraham de Moivre in the form

De Moivre gave an expression for the constant in terms of its natural logarithm. Stirling's contribution consisted of showing that the constant is . The more precise versions are due to Jacques Binet.

Read more about this topic:  Stirling's Approximation

Famous quotes containing the word history:

    [Men say:] “Don’t you know that we are your natural protectors?” But what is a woman afraid of on a lonely road after dark? The bears and wolves are all gone; there is nothing to be afraid of now but our natural protectors.
    Frances A. Griffin, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4, ch. 19, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)

    Psychology keeps trying to vindicate human nature. History keeps undermining the effort.
    Mason Cooley (b. 1927)