George Boole

Mathematician

Mostly a self-taught mathematician, George Boole rose to prominence and earned a teaching position based on his writings on differential equations and algebraic problems. During the 1840s and 1850s he developed a notational system that showed that logical statements could be represented by algebraic equations. Applied to set theory, Boolean algebra described the relationships between groups, reducing them to simple equations. His system, linking logic with mathematics, was instrumental in the development of digital computer systems.

Extra credit: Boole's wife, Mary Everest Boole, was the niece of Sir George Everest, for whom the big mountain is named.

For more information on what a "Boolean search" is, read up on Boole's role in our loop, Who's What?