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Hypatia of Alexandria - Bright Mind, Wrong Time
Hypatia of Alexandria
Reading Comprehension for November 30
Mystery surrounds Hypatia's life. She was a bright girl who lived at the wrong time. She didn't do anything wrong, but she would have probably been safer if she had lived centuries later. Hypatia was the first woman who made substantial contributions to the world of mathematics.
Hypatia was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in about 370 A.D. Her father, who was a mathematician and a philosopher, gave her constant encouragement. Theon was one of the brightest men in Alexandria. He was a professor at the University of Alexandria, and he taught his daughter well. Legends say that she quickly surpassed her father in understanding, so Hypatia must have been a good student!
Hypatia lived in one of the most exciting places in the world. Scholars and philosophers lived in bustling Alexandria, where trade and commerce also thrived. Theon surrounded Hypatia with learning and books. Not much is known about her early life, but by the time she was thirty years old, she was the head of an influential school in the city. It is hard to imagine how a woman of her time rose to such a prestigious position, but Hypatia must have had a strong personality.
