# Benjamin Finkel

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**Benjamin Franklin Finkel** (July 5, 1865 – February 5, 1947) was a [mathematician](/source/Mathematician) and educator most remembered today as the founder of the *[American Mathematical Monthly](/source/American_Mathematical_Monthly)* magazine.

## Life

Born in [Fairfield County, Ohio](/source/Fairfield_County,_Ohio) and educated in small country schools, Finkel received both bachelor's and master's degrees from [Ohio Northern University](/source/Ohio_Northern_University), then known as Ohio Normal University (1888 and 1891, respectively).

In 1888 he copyrighted *A Mathematical Solution Book*. The purpose of the book was to provide mathematics teachers a text utilizing a systematic method of problem solving, "The Step Method", representing a chain of reasoning, in logical order, to arrive at the correct result.[1] The first edition was postponed until 1893, due to financial problems of the original publisher.[2] The book's preface stated that the work was based upon eight years of teaching in the public schools. Following editions were published in 1897, 1899 and 1902.[3]

In 1895 he became professor of mathematics and physics at [Drury University](/source/Drury_University), then known as Drury College. He was a University Scholar in Mathematics at the [University of Chicago](/source/University_of_Chicago) from 1895–1896.[3] In 1906 he was awarded a doctorate from the [University of Pennsylvania](/source/University_of_Pennsylvania), where he had earlier earned an additional master's degree in 1904 and a Harrison fellow appointment in 1905.[2]

He was a member of the [American Mathematical Society](/source/American_Mathematical_Society), 1891; the [London Mathematical Society](/source/London_Mathematical_Society), 1898; and [Circolo Matematico di Palermo](/source/Circolo_Matematico_di_Palermo), 1902.[3] He retained his professorship at Drury College until his death in 1947.

## References

1. Benjamin Franklin Finkel (1899) [*A Mathematical Solution Book Containing Systematic Solutions to Many of the Most Difficult Problems*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ugBDAAAAIAAJ)

1. O'Connor and Robertson, J. J. and E. F. ["Benjamin Franklin Finkel"](http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Finkel.html). *The MacTutor History of Mathematics archive*. School of Mathematics and Statistics University of St Andrews, Scotland. Retrieved 22 January 2015.

1. [*University of Pennsylvania Bulletin,*](https://books.google.com/books?id=rNrOAAAAMAAJ) University of Pennsylvania (1908)

- Kullman, David E. ["Benjamin Finkel, 1865–1947"](http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/math/history/page54103.html). *Ohio Masters of Mathematics*. Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 6 March 2010.

## External links

- [Benjamin Finkel 1865-1947](http://sections.maa.org/ohio/ohio_masters/finkel.html) from the [Ohio section](http://sections.maa.org/ohio/) of the [MAA](/source/Mathematical_Association_of_America)

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