fbpx
Wikipedia

John Rigby (mathematician)

April 12, 2024

John Frankland Rigby (22 April 1933 – 29 December 2014) was an English mathematician and academic of the University College of South Wales, Cardiff, when it was part of the University of Wales, and of its successor Cardiff University.

Working in the field of geometry, he became an authority on the relationship between maths and ornamental art and was national Secretary of the Mathematical Association from 1989 to 1996.

Early life edit

 
Manchester Grammar School
 
Trinity College, Cambridge
 
University College, Cardiff

A native of Bolton, Lancashire, now part of Greater Manchester, Rigby was the son of Fred Frankland Rigby and Bessie M. Hodkinson, who had been married at Bolton in 1931.[1] He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where after graduating BA in the Mathematical Tripos he remained for doctoral studies.[2] His PhD dissertation, supervised by Philip Hall and completed in 1958, was Theory of Finite Linear Groups,[3] and while finishing his work on this he took a job at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).[2][4]

Career edit

In 1959 Rigby was appointed to his first academic job, as a lecturer in the School of Mathematics of the University College of South Wales at Cardiff, and remained there until he retired in 1996, and beyond, as he continued to work part-time for some years. During his career, he contributed many papers on Euclidean geometry. He was also a leading authority on the interface between mathematics and ornamental art, especially Celtic art and Islamic geometric patterns, and took a close interest in traditional Japanese geometry.[2] He visited universities in several overseas countries, especially in Turkey, Japan, and the Philippines, and also in Singapore and Canada.[2]

Rigby lectured on complex analysis, drawing complicated curves and perfect circles on the blackboard, where he could make "magnificently accurate diagrams".[2] He was an active member of the Mathematical Association. In the 1970s he became President of its Cardiff Branch and then was national Secretary from 1989 to 1996, at conferences giving presentations of his work. He regularly provided solutions to problems raised in the Mathematical Gazette, and an obituary described his research papers as "distinguished by their precision, concise style, and freedom from jargon".[2]

With Branko Grünbaum, Rigby realised the Grünbaum–Rigby configuration,[5] and Ross Honsberger named a point in a theorem by Rigby "the Rigby point".[6] Adrian Oldknow named inner and outer Rigby points in connection with Soddy triangles, with the Rigby points lying on the Soddy line.[7]

In retirement, Rigby began to suffer from Parkinson's disease, but was still wanted for international conferences. With his friend James Wiegold, he took charge of Cardiff University's Mathematics Club for sixth formers, drawing in students from Cardiff High School, the Cathedral School, Llandaff, Howell's School, and schools in Monmouth. Those attending meetings might offer solutions to problems which could not be faulted, but Rigby "would produce far more elegant ones, drawing gasps of admiration from the audience".[2]

Private life edit

Rigby sang in the Llandaff Cathedral choir and also wrote music for it. From his mathematical interest in art, he went on to create his own patterns and designs, which he turned into Christmas cards, and some were embroidered for cathedral hassocks. He belonged to a Folk Dance Society and enjoyed rambling in the Lake District and elsewhere.[2]

Rigby died on 29 December 2014 at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, aged 81. Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales, and the Dean of Cardiff were the ministers for his funeral service at Llandaff Cathedral on 13 January 2015.[2] His last address was 5, Cathedral Court, Cathedral Green, Llandaff, Cardiff.[8]

Selected publications edit

  • J. F. Rigby, "A Concentrated Dose of Old-Fashioned Geometry" in The Mathematical Gazette 57, 402 (December 1973) 296–298
  • J. F. Rigby, "On the Money–Coutts Configuration of Nine Anti-Tangent Cycles" in Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society, 43 (Series 3), 1 (July 1981) 110–132, here
  • J. F. Rigby, "The geometry of cycles, and generalized Laguerre inversion" in C. Davis, B. Grünbaum, F. A. Sherk, The Coxeter Festschrift (Berlin: Springer, 1981), 355—378
  • J. F. Rigby, "The three circle theorem" in Mathematics Magazine 55 (1982), 312
  • John Rigby, "Napoleon revisited," in Journal of Geometry 33 (1988), 126–146
  • Branko Grünbaum, J. F. Rigby, "The real configuration (214)" in Journal of the London Mathematical Society 41 (Series 2) (1990), 336–346, here
  • John F. Rigby, "Tritangent centres, Pascal's theorem and Thebault's problem" in Journal of Geometry (November 1995) 54:134 here
  • John F. Rigby, "Brief notes on some forgotten geometrical theorems" in Mathematics and Informatics Quarterly 7 (1997) 156–158
  • J. F. Rigby, "Precise Colourings of Regular Triangular Tilings" in The Mathematical Intelligencer (1998) 20:4 here

Notes edit

  1. ^ "Rigby John F /Hodkinson" in Register of Births for Bolton Registration District, vol. 8c (1933), p. 495; "Rigby Fred F. & Hodkinson Bessie M." in Register of Marriages for Bolton Registration District, vol. 8c (1931), p. 889
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Gerry Leversha, Dr John Frankland Rigby (obituary) in The Mathematical Gazette 99 (2015), 174–175. Retrieved 2 May 2019
  3. ^ Dissertation: Topics in the theory of Finite Linear Groups at nodak.edu. Retrieved 2 May 2019
  4. ^ John Frankland Rigby (obituary) at cardiff.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2019
  5. ^ Branko Grünbaum, J. F. Rigby, "The real configuration (214)" in Journal of the London Mathematical Society 41 (Series 2) (1990), 336–346, here
  6. ^ Ross Honsberger, "The Rigby Point" §11.3 in Episodes in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Euclidean Geometry (Washington, DC: The Mathematical Association of America, 1996, ISBN 978-0883856390), pp. 132–136; "Rigby Points" at mathworld.wolfram.com. Retrieved 4 June 2019
  7. ^ A. Oldknow, "The Euler–Gergonne–Soddy Triangle of a Triangle" in American Mathematical Monthly 103 (1996), 319—329
  8. ^ John Frankland RIGBY at companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2019

External links edit

  • J. F. Rigby's research while affiliated with Hacettepe University and other places at researchgate.net
  • J. F. Rigby, A Turkish interlacing pattern and the golden ratio at Mathematical Association web site
  • Rigby points at wolfram.com

April 12, 2024
john, rigby, mathematician, john, frankland, rigby, april, 1933, december, 2014, english, mathematician, academic, university, college, south, wales, cardiff, when, part, university, wales, successor, cardiff, university, working, field, geometry, became, auth. John Frankland Rigby 22 April 1933 29 December 2014 was an English mathematician and academic of the University College of South Wales Cardiff when it was part of the University of Wales and of its successor Cardiff University Working in the field of geometry he became an authority on the relationship between maths and ornamental art and was national Secretary of the Mathematical Association from 1989 to 1996 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Private life 4 Selected publications 5 Notes 6 External linksEarly life edit nbsp Manchester Grammar School nbsp Trinity College Cambridge nbsp University College CardiffA native of Bolton Lancashire now part of Greater Manchester Rigby was the son of Fred Frankland Rigby and Bessie M Hodkinson who had been married at Bolton in 1931 1 He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Trinity College Cambridge where after graduating BA in the Mathematical Tripos he remained for doctoral studies 2 His PhD dissertation supervised by Philip Hall and completed in 1958 was Theory of Finite Linear Groups 3 and while finishing his work on this he took a job at the Government Communications Headquarters GCHQ 2 4 Career editIn 1959 Rigby was appointed to his first academic job as a lecturer in the School of Mathematics of the University College of South Wales at Cardiff and remained there until he retired in 1996 and beyond as he continued to work part time for some years During his career he contributed many papers on Euclidean geometry He was also a leading authority on the interface between mathematics and ornamental art especially Celtic art and Islamic geometric patterns and took a close interest in traditional Japanese geometry 2 He visited universities in several overseas countries especially in Turkey Japan and the Philippines and also in Singapore and Canada 2 Rigby lectured on complex analysis drawing complicated curves and perfect circles on the blackboard where he could make magnificently accurate diagrams 2 He was an active member of the Mathematical Association In the 1970s he became President of its Cardiff Branch and then was national Secretary from 1989 to 1996 at conferences giving presentations of his work He regularly provided solutions to problems raised in the Mathematical Gazette and an obituary described his research papers as distinguished by their precision concise style and freedom from jargon 2 With Branko Grunbaum Rigby realised the Grunbaum Rigby configuration 5 and Ross Honsberger named a point in a theorem by Rigby the Rigby point 6 Adrian Oldknow named inner and outer Rigby points in connection with Soddy triangles with the Rigby points lying on the Soddy line 7 In retirement Rigby began to suffer from Parkinson s disease but was still wanted for international conferences With his friend James Wiegold he took charge of Cardiff University s Mathematics Club for sixth formers drawing in students from Cardiff High School the Cathedral School Llandaff Howell s School and schools in Monmouth Those attending meetings might offer solutions to problems which could not be faulted but Rigby would produce far more elegant ones drawing gasps of admiration from the audience 2 Private life editRigby sang in the Llandaff Cathedral choir and also wrote music for it From his mathematical interest in art he went on to create his own patterns and designs which he turned into Christmas cards and some were embroidered for cathedral hassocks He belonged to a Folk Dance Society and enjoyed rambling in the Lake District and elsewhere 2 Rigby died on 29 December 2014 at the University Hospital of Wales Cardiff aged 81 Barry Morgan Archbishop of Wales and the Dean of Cardiff were the ministers for his funeral service at Llandaff Cathedral on 13 January 2015 2 His last address was 5 Cathedral Court Cathedral Green Llandaff Cardiff 8 Selected publications editJ F Rigby A Concentrated Dose of Old Fashioned Geometry in The Mathematical Gazette 57 402 December 1973 296 298 J F Rigby On the Money Coutts Configuration of Nine Anti Tangent Cycles in Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society 43 Series 3 1 July 1981 110 132 here J F Rigby The geometry of cycles and generalized Laguerre inversion in C Davis B Grunbaum F A Sherk The Coxeter Festschrift Berlin Springer 1981 355 378 J F Rigby The three circle theorem in Mathematics Magazine 55 1982 312 John Rigby Napoleon revisited in Journal of Geometry 33 1988 126 146 Branko Grunbaum J F Rigby The real configuration 214 in Journal of the London Mathematical Society 41 Series 2 1990 336 346 here John F Rigby Tritangent centres Pascal s theorem and Thebault s problem in Journal of Geometry November 1995 54 134 here John F Rigby Brief notes on some forgotten geometrical theorems in Mathematics and Informatics Quarterly 7 1997 156 158 J F Rigby Precise Colourings of Regular Triangular Tilings in The Mathematical Intelligencer 1998 20 4 hereNotes edit Rigby John F Hodkinson in Register of Births for Bolton Registration District vol 8c 1933 p 495 Rigby Fred F amp Hodkinson Bessie M in Register of Marriages for Bolton Registration District vol 8c 1931 p 889 a b c d e f g h i Gerry Leversha Dr John Frankland Rigby obituary in The Mathematical Gazette 99 2015 174 175 Retrieved 2 May 2019 Dissertation Topics in the theory of Finite Linear Groups at nodak edu Retrieved 2 May 2019 John Frankland Rigby obituary at cardiff ac uk Retrieved 2 May 2019 Branko Grunbaum J F Rigby The real configuration 214 in Journal of the London Mathematical Society 41 Series 2 1990 336 346 here Ross Honsberger The Rigby Point 11 3 in Episodes in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Euclidean Geometry Washington DC The Mathematical Association of America 1996 ISBN 978 0883856390 pp 132 136 Rigby Points at mathworld wolfram com Retrieved 4 June 2019 A Oldknow The Euler Gergonne Soddy Triangle of a Triangle in American Mathematical Monthly 103 1996 319 329 John Frankland RIGBY at companieshouse gov uk Retrieved 2 May 2019External links editJ F Rigby s research while affiliated with Hacettepe University and other places at researchgate net J F Rigby A Turkish interlacing pattern and the golden ratio at Mathematical Association web site Rigby points at wolfram com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Rigby mathematician amp oldid 1132240451, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.