Johann Gustav Hermes


Johann Gustav Hermes was a German mathematician. Hermes is known for completion of a polygon with 65,537 sides.

Early life

On 20 June 1846, Hermes was born in Königsberg, a former German city. Hermes was educated at the Kneiphöfischen Gymnasium. He undertook his Abitur at the school in 1866. After completing his secondary education, he studied mathematics from 1866 to 1870, mostly in Königsberg. His studies were interrupted due to his participation in the Franco-Prussian War between 1870 and 1871.

Education

On 14 December 1872, Hermes complete his studies in mathematics earned a degree in mathematics.
On 5 April 1879,
Hermes received a doctorate degree and his dissertation was on the "Reduction of the problem of cyclotomy on linear equations ".

Career

After a probationary year at the Chernyakhovsk Realgymnasium in 1873, Hermes worked as a teacher at the Progymnasium of the Royal Orphanage of Königsberg in Prussia. Beginning in 1883 he was an Oberlehrer. In 1893 he became a professor at the Georgianum Gymnasium in Lingen. Finally, on 1 April 1899, he became a professor and director at the Osnabrück Realgymnasium.
On 31 December 1906 he asked for an early retirement from his position due to illness.

Achievements

In 1894, Hermes completed his decade-long effort to find and write down a procedure for the construction of the regular 65537-gon exclusively with a compass and a straightedge. His manuscript, with over 200 pages, is today located at the University of Göttingen.
In his maiden speech as the director at the Osnabrück Realgymnasium on 11 April 1899, he praised the concept of duty of the influential philosopher Immanuel Kant, who was also a resident of Königsberg. He finished with the words "Geduld ist die Pforte der Freude."

Personal life

In December 1906, Hermes became ill.
On 8 June 1912, Hermes died. Hermes is buried in Osnabrück, Germany.