Contents
Klaus Roth
Proving a landmark theorem on approximating algebraic numbers.
Roth’s theorem · Progression-free sets
- Born
- 29 October 1925
- Birthplace
- Wrocław
- Died
- 10 November 2015
More people
Klaus Roth
Klaus Roth was a German-born British mathematician whose work addressed rational approximation, integer sequences and irregularities of distribution.
Early life
Education
Moved to Britain as a child, studied at Cambridge and completed his doctorate at University College London in 1950.
Career
- 1948
UCL teaching
Became an assistant lecturer.
- 1950s
Major results
Published influential work in number theory and discrepancy.
- 1958
Fields Medal
Received the mathematical award.
- 1966
Imperial College
Accepted a chair in pure mathematics.
Contributions
Roth’s theorem
Established a fundamental limit on rational approximations to algebraic irrational numbers.
Progression-free sets
Studied the occurrence of arithmetic progressions in integer sets.
Beyond work
Chess and dance
Played competitive chess as a student and later shared an interest in Latin dancing with his wife Mélèk.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and career ↗Biographical references ↗Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
Photo: unknown. Source credit retained; reuse licence not established · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.