Answer by Mikhail Katz for Who gave you the epsilon?
To complement Brian M. Scott's thoughtful answer, I would like to present a view based closely on primary sources in Cauchy, and specifically on his Cours d'Analyse (1821). An analysis of this book...
View ArticleAnswer by John Bentin for Who gave you the epsilon?
It was Bernard Bolzano. According to Wikipedia, "In calculus, the (ε, δ)-definition of limit ... is a formalization of the notion of limit. It was first given by Bernard Bolzano in 1817, followed by a...
View ArticleAnswer by Brian M. Scott for Who gave you the epsilon?
In fact Grabiner cites an example of Cauchy’s use of the $\epsilon,\delta$ formulation of continuity in a proof. I copy the relevant passage from the original, which may be found here under SEPTIÈME...
View ArticleWho gave you the epsilon?
Who gave you the epsilon? is the title of an article by J. Grabiner on Cauchy from the 1980s, and the implied answer is "Cauchy". On the other hand, historian I. Grattan-Guinness points out in his book...
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