When I think of mathematicians, I think of men and women working contentedly throughout the night, leaving their families, dedicating their entire lives to solving the complex equations and fundamentals of math itself. Now, when I think of Maria Agnesi, I think of someone completely different. Maria was an amazing person. She dedicated her
             life to helping bring up her siblings, and helping the poor and less fortunate. And with all of that going on, she still had time to go about solving equations and wondering about the fundamentals of math. She solved many amazing and complex equations and was the first woman to be elected as the honorary lecturer and the Chair of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Bologna. She survived countless hardships, but yet excelled in mathematics and various other studies as well. This was all in a time period when women were looked down upon in most parts of the world for being educated. In the end, when she had given her love for mathematics up, she still had the huge heart to go and
             help all of the many people who were suffering. She was an amazing person, and she must be recognized not only for her mathematic skills, but also for her amazing personality and kindness towards others.
             At a time when women were mostly looked down upon, Maria Gaetana Agnesi was lucky enough to be born in surroundings where it was actually considered attractive for women to be scholarly and intellectual. Her father, Pietro Agnesi, was a professor of mathematics at the University of Bologna, so Maria grew up surrounded by constant intellectual discussions, for her house was a place of meeting for the philosophers and mathematicians. She was born to Pietro and Anna Fortunato Agnesi on May16, 1718 in Milan, Italy. They were a wealthy family because of silk trade, and had many children (her father had 21) who were supported very well. The Agnesi family participated in upper class events, particu...