Author(s): Frank J.

Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University)

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Shown above is the title page of the 1693 volume of Acta Eruditorum.

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The September 1693 issue (No. IX) of Acta Eruditorum, began with an article by Leibniz
(G.G.L.). In “Supplementum Geometriae Dimensoriae…” ("Supplement on geometric
measurement"), he showed that the general problem of quadrature can be reduced to finding a
curve that has “a given law of tangency.” A modernization of this accomplishment would be
showing that the general problem of definite integration can be reduced to finding a function that
has a given derivative – that is, finding an antiderivative function – which is essentially the
Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. A partial translation of the article from Latin to English can
be found in D. J. Struik's A Source Book in Mathematics (1200-1800), pp. 282-284.

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For diagrams accompanying the article, see the second page below, "Tab[ula] V," inserted
between pages 386 and 387.
For modern calculus notation, see page 390.

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Figures 1-3 in Table V, above, are referenced in the margins of the pages that follow.

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On page 390, above, at the start of the first full paragraph, Leibniz seemed to get to the
mathematical point of his article, writing, "I shall now show the general problem of quadratures
[integration] to be reduced to the invention [finding] of a line [curve] having a given law of
declivity [tangency]." Also on page 390, be sure to find the integral sign near the bottom of the
page, in the sentence, "Ergo adeoque " or
"Therefore, so that

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The images above are used through the courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University,
Bloomington, Indiana. You may use them in your classroom; for all other purposes, please seek
permission from the Lilly Library.

D. J. Struik (editor), A Source Book in Mathematics (1200-1800), Harvard University Press,

Cambridge, Mass., 1969
Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: Leibniz's Papers

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on Calculus - Fundamental Theorem," Convergence (June 2015)

Convergence
Tags: Calculus
History of Mathematics
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Mathematical Treasure: Leibniz's Papers on Calculus

Mathematical Treasure: Leibniz's Papers on Calculus - Differential Calculus
Mathematical Treasure: Leibniz's Papers on Calculus - Integral Calculus
Mathematical Treasure: Leibniz's Papers on Calculus - Fundamental Theorem

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