Which mathematician is credited with inventing logarithms, a concept that simplified complex multiplication and division into addition and subtraction?

Introduction / Context:
Logarithms are a fundamental mathematical tool used to simplify calculations involving multiplication, division, powers and roots. Before calculators and computers, logarithm tables were essential for scientists, engineers and navigators. The concept of logarithms was a major breakthrough in the seventeenth century. This question tests whether you know the mathematician commonly credited with inventing logarithms and introducing them to the mathematical world.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The subject is the invention of logarithms, not logarithmic functions in general use today.
• The mathematician sought is the first person to develop and publish the concept in a systematic way.
• The options include names from different scientific fields, but only one is associated with logarithms.
• You are expected to recognize the correct historical figure based on basic history of mathematics.

Concept / Approach:
John Napier, a Scottish mathematician, is widely credited with inventing logarithms around the early seventeenth century. He published his work on logarithms to provide a powerful tool for simplifying complex arithmetic operations, especially in astronomy and navigation. His ideas were later refined by others, but Napier is honoured as the originator. Mendeleev is famous for the periodic table of chemical elements, Shockley for contributions to transistor technology, and Amundson is not known as an inventor of logarithms. Therefore, John Napier is the correct answer in standard general knowledge.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the keyword logarithms, which points to a specific area of mathematics.Step 2: Recall that John Napier of Scotland introduced logarithms and published tables to assist with long calculations.Step 3: Scan the options and locate John Napier as option D.Step 4: Recognise that Mendeleev is associated with chemistry, Shockley with electronics and transistors, and Amundson is unrelated in this context.Step 5: Choose John Napier as the inventor of logarithms.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can cross check this by recalling that logarithm tables used in schools sometimes mention Napier name, and the term Napierian logarithms is used for natural logarithms in some older texts. Histories of mathematics always link the origin of logarithms to Napier work at the beginning of the seventeenth century. No standard source attributes the invention of logarithms to the other names listed in the options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Mendeleev is a chemist best known for formulating the periodic table, Shockley is a physicist associated with the invention of the transistor and the development of semiconductor devices, and Amundson is not recognised as the creator of logarithms. Selecting any of these would confuse completely different scientific achievements with a mathematical breakthrough. Hence, these options are included only as distractors.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be tempted to pick the most familiar name or mix up inventions due to lack of revision. Others might mistakenly think of log tables used in school without remembering who created the concept. To avoid such errors, it is useful to memorise a few key names in the history of mathematics, such as Pythagoras for his theorem, Euclid for geometry and John Napier for logarithms. This simple mental list helps in scoring well on invention related GK questions.

Final Answer:
John Napier is credited with inventing logarithms.