Logarithm tables were invented by:

The correct answer is John Napier.

Key Points

• John Napier was a Scottish mathematician, physicist, and astronomer who is best known for his invention of logarithms.
• Napier's logarithms simplified complex calculations, particularly in navigation, astronomy, and engineering.
• His work, "Mirifici Logarithmorum Canonis Descriptio" (Description of the Wonderful Canon of Logarithms), published in 1614, laid the foundation for logarithmic tables.
• Napier also invented devices such as Napier's bones, which were tools used to facilitate multiplication and division.

Important Points

• Logarithms greatly advanced the fields of mathematics and science, particularly during the 17th century, by reducing the complexity of multiplication and division to addition and subtraction.
• Napier's logarithmic tables became a critical tool for scientists, engineers, and navigators until the invention of calculators and computers.
• John Napier is widely regarded as one of the most influential mathematicians of his era.