Bookreport on a Biography of Richard Feynman.

Essay by GauntHigh School, 12th gradeA, March 2004

download word file, 8 pages 4.4

From May 11, 1918 until March 15, 1988, Richard Feynman was thinking about physics. He made many contributions both large and small throughout his life, from working on the Manhattan Project, to winning the Nobel Prize.

Richard Feynman was born to Melville and Lucille Feynman in Far Rockaway, New York on Mya 11th, 1918 and began his fascination with physics. His father can take a good amount of credit for this as he set out to stimulate Richard to think from an early age in a scientific way.

Melville used to play games with Richard using small colored tiles while he was sitting in his high chair. Melville would have Richard setup the tile on end in no particular order and then topple them, eventually creating patterns for Richard to mimic in order to get him to think about patterns and the basics of mathematical relations. Melville also took Richard to the American Museum of Natural History and bought a set of the Encyclopedia Britannica to help expand his sons learning abilities.

Richard went through school just like any other child but did most of his learning outside of school through books and encyclopedias. He learned much of his math before it came time to learn it in school, but when that time came, subjects like algebra were a breeze for Feynman. He learned that it wasn't important how you got the answer as long as it was the right one. With that attitude, and sitting in on his cousin Roberts tutoring sessions, Richard could solve simultaneous equations before he left elementary school.

While Richard was in high school, he became a member of the school math team, which competed with students from schools all over New York. Feynman and his math team would travel to schools to compete in...