Cool Nicaraguan Stamps Featuring Ten of the Most Important Math Formulas in History, Issued in 1971

by Liz Publika

In 1971, Nicaragua issued ten stamps commemorating the "ten most important mathematical formulas." The back side of each stamp contained text describing the equation and its utility. The stamps were a gift from Tim Klitz, now a professor in the Psychology Department at Washington & Jefferson College. The descriptions above are adapted from the original stamp texts, arranged in chronological order by the birthdate of the person credited with each equation.

Primitive Man

Primitive Man (1 + 1 = 2)

Simple as it may seem, this equation had profound consequences for early humans, since it formed the foundation of all counting. Without an understanding of numbers, trade remained rudimentary, with no precise way to tally livestock or even the size of a tribe. The development of counting directly fueled the growth of commerce and eventually gave rise to the crucial science of measurement.

Pythagoras (c.570c. -495 BCE)

Pythagoras (c. 570-c. 495 BCE)

Without question, the Pythagorean equation is one of the most widely used and influential theorems in geometry. It defines the relationship between the three sides of a right-angled triangle — lengths a, b, and c — and, for the first time, made it possible to calculate distances indirectly. This breakthrough enabled mapping and surveying, allowing the ancient Greeks to determine the distance of ships at sea and the height of buildings and other structures. Today, scientists and mathematicians continue to rely on it across countless fields to describe and test a wide range of theories.

Archimedes (287-212 BCE)

Archimedes (287-212 BCE)

Archimedes famously observed that with a place to stand, he could move the Earth. His formulation of the lever became a cornerstone of engineering, whether applied through a simple bar, complex gear systems, or modern cranes. The same principle underlies the design of engines and structures ranging from bridges to buildings. Nuts and bolts, car brakes, door handles, and even a well-designed toolset all operate on variations of the lever.

John Napier (1550-1617)

John Napier (1550-1617)

With the invention of logarithms, Napier introduced a powerful mathematical shorthand. By working with logarithms, complex multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction could be reduced to far simpler operations, making intricate calculations far more manageable. The impact of this breakthrough on fields like astronomy and navigation was immense, rivaling the transformative effect computers have had in the modern era.

Isaac Newton (1642-1727)

Isaac Newton (1642-1727)

Before Newton, there was little understanding of what kept the planets circling the sun, the moon bound to the Earth, or even what held people to the ground instead of drifting into space. Newton demonstrated that all bodies attract one another through gravity, and that this force depends on their mass. These interactions had gone largely unnoticed before because, in everyday situations, the forces involved are extremely small.

James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879)

James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879)

Over the course of a century, this Scottish physicist formulated four landmark equations that unified what was known about electricity and magnetism. From them came the prediction of electromagnetic waves, laying the groundwork for radio signals. Maxwell's work underpins radio and television sound, long-distance communication, and radar on land, sea, and in space. These same equations also govern light, X-rays, and the full spectrum of electromagnetic radiation.

Ludwig Boltzmann (1844-1906)

Ludwig Boltzmann (1844-1906)

Boltzmann's equations explain the behavior of gases by linking it to the constant motion of atoms and molecules. Their significance lies in a foundational paper that clarified how gases function in steam engines and internal combustion, in the chemical reactions essential to modern medicine, plastics, and other materials, and even in theories about time itself. These same ideas are also used to describe extreme processes in the sun, stars, and distant galaxies.

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935)

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935)

A fundamental equation of space technology, this formula describes how a spacecraft's velocity changes as it burns its fuel. It is derived directly from one of Sir Isaac Newton's three laws of motion. Without it, sending spacecraft into Earth's orbit or onward to the Moon and other planets would be nearly impossible — though the same principle also enables the use of rockets in warfare.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

This equation underpins the foundations of the nuclear age. In simple terms, a small amount of matter can be transformed into a vast amount of energy. This principle, unleashed in a violent and dramatic way, forms the basis of atomic and hydrogen bombs. At the same time, humanity can harness nuclear fission in controlled reactors to provide heat and generate electricity for homes and industry.

Louis de Broglie (1892-1987)

Louis de Broglie (1892-1987)

Light, a form of energy, exhibits dual behavior: it can act as discrete particles, like a ball, and as a continuous wave. De Broglie explored these fundamentals, demonstrating that light has both particle and wave properties. This principle has profoundly influenced physics, modern optics, and electronic components such as transistors, with applications spanning radio, television, computers, specialized spacecraft, military technology, and more. It also enabled the development of powerful electron microscopes.

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