The French mathematician Rene Descartes was born on 31 March 1596 in La
Haye (now Descartes), Touraine, France. At the age of eight, he entered the Jesuit
College at La Fleche where he developed a lasting interest in mathematics. He studied
various subjects until he left in 1612. Ironically, attending school had made Descartes
understand how little he knew. He discovered that the only subject satisfactory in his
eyes was the study of mathematics. This idea became the foundation for his way of
thinking. …
