ARTHUR CAYLEY was born on August 16, 1821, in England. His genius showed itself at an early age. He published his first research paper while an undergraduate of 20, and in the next year he published eight papers. While still in his early twenties, he originated the concept of n-dimensional geometry.
After graduating from Trinity College, Cambridge, Cayley stayed on for three years as a tutor. At the age of 25, he began a 14-year career as a lawyer. During this period, he published approximately 200 mathematical papers, many of which are now classics.
In 1863, Cayley accepted the newly established Sadlerian professorship of mathematics at Cambridge University. He spent the rest of his life in that position. One of his notable accomplishments was his role in the successful effort to have women admitted to Cambridge.
Among Cayley’s many innovations in mathematics were the notions of an abstract group and a group algebra, and the matrix concept. He made major contributions to geometry and linear algebra. Cayley and his lifelong friend and collaborator J. J. Sylvester were the founders of the theory of invariants, which was later to play an important role in the theory of relativity.
Cayley’s collected works comprise 13 volumes, each about 600 pages in length. He died on January 26, 1895.
(Sumber: Joseph A. Gallian 4th edition)
Sylvana N S 