Edward Kasner

About

Mathematician who coined the term 'googol,' to characterize a large number, one followed by a hundred zeros. He was also the first Jew appointed to a faculty position in the sciences at Columbia University.

Before Fame

He worked as a math tutor at Columbia University.

Trivia

He co-wrote the book 'Mathematics and the Imagination' in 1940 where he first coined the term "googol".

Family Life

His nephew inspired him to come up with the word 'googol' to spark the interest of math in children.

Associated With

He was a contemporary of fellow American mathematician Oswald Veblen.