Hippasus of Metapontum, born circa 500 B.C. in Magna Graecia, was a Greekphilosopher. He is the disciple of Pythagoras to whom is attributed the discovery that the square root of 2 is irrational. After the number was revealed to be irrational, the Pythagoreans killed Hippasus, not wishing to believe this fundamental number could be infinitely long and nonrepeating.
He was also noted as an early experimenter in acoustics and resonance. Few of his original works now survive.
jordancdarwin: I love that story about Hippasus of Metapontum. Pythagoreans on hearing of irrational numbers threw him off a boat. 1st irrational action!
