Gregorio Fontana

Gregorio Fontana
Born
Giovanni Battista Lorenzo Fontana

(1735-12-07)7 December 1735
Nogaredo, Italy
Died24 August 1803(1803-08-24) (aged 67)
Milan, Italy
Known forpolar coordinates
Scientific career
FieldsGeometry
InstitutionsUniversity of Pavia
Notable studentsPietro Paoli

Gregorio Fontana, born Giovanni Battista Lorenzo Fontana (7 December 1735 – 24 August 1803) was an Italian mathematician and a religious of the Piarist order. He was chair of mathematics at the university of Pavia succeeding Roger Joseph Boscovich. He has been credited with the introduction of polar coordinates. Though an abbot, he was sympathetic to the ideals of the French Revolution.