Sofia was bom in 1850 in Moscow. Her
father was a Russian general. Her mother
was the daughter of a well-known
mathematician. The family lived in a large
mansion near St. Petersburg. Each of them
lived in a separate part of the mansion. Her
parents were very strict.
Sofia didn't think
her parents loved her. She remembered
this all of her life.
Sofia loved mathematics at a very early
age. When she was 11 years old, she hung
up notes from mathematical lectures on
her walls. She also taught herself physics.
A family friend thought Sofia should study
mathematics in St. Petersburg. Sofia's
father agreed. When she was 15 years old,
she went there with her mother and sister.
Sofia and her sister wanted to go to
school, but Russian universities didn't
admit women and their father wouldn't let
them study abroad.
Sofia's sister thought
of a plan.They needed to find a student to
marry one of them.The sisters didn't care
which one of them got married.They also
didn't care who they found. A student
named Vladimir Kovalevsky agreed to their
plan. He promised to take his new wife to
study in Germany. There was one problem.
He liked Sofia, but Sofia didn't care about
him.
Their father refused to allow the
marriage. At that time, younger sisters
professor in Europe, outside of Italy. In
1888, Kovalevsky competed for the
greatest mathematics prize of her time, the
Prix Bordin. She worked on a problem
about the rings around the planet Saturn.
When the Paris Academy of Sciences announced the winner, everyone was amazed that it was a woman. They gave Kovalevsky twice the usual prize money, never married before their older sisters. But Sofia wanted to go to school very much. So, she left a note for her father and went to Kovalevsky's apartment. At that time, a young woman never spent time alone with a young man. Her father had to agree to the marriage to save the family's honor. The Kovalevskys went to Germany, and Sofia became a mathematics student.They lived apart and rarely saw each other.
Sofia was very lonely and studied all of the time. In 1871, she moved to Berlin to work with a famous mathematician. Women were not allowed to attend the University of Berlin. The mathematician was very surprised when she asked him to teach her. He gave her some problems that even his advanced students could not solve. When Sofia solved the problems, he accepted her as his student immediately. Three years later, Sofia Kovalevsky received her degree in mathematics. During these years, Sofia Kovalevsky worked completely alone. She had no social life. Vladimir, her husband, also lived in Berlin, but they lived apart. After five years of friendship, however, they finally fell in love. In 1878, they had a daughter. Kovalevsky stopped studying.
She wanted to be a good wife and mother. At last she had love and happiness. Vladimir taught at the University of Moscow. After a while, he left his teaching job. He began to have money and job problems. Sadly, he lost all of their money and then committed suicide. Sofia was devastated. A great Swedish mathematician helped Kovalevsky get a job as a mathematics professor in Sweden. She became famous because she was the only woman to be a because she had solved a problem that was very important to science. In 1890, Sofia Kovalevsky became the first woman elected to the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy of Science. Unfortunately, her life and brilliant career ended early. In December 1890, she caught a cold. She got very sick, and she died on February 10, 1891, at the age of 41.
When the Paris Academy of Sciences announced the winner, everyone was amazed that it was a woman. They gave Kovalevsky twice the usual prize money, never married before their older sisters. But Sofia wanted to go to school very much. So, she left a note for her father and went to Kovalevsky's apartment. At that time, a young woman never spent time alone with a young man. Her father had to agree to the marriage to save the family's honor. The Kovalevskys went to Germany, and Sofia became a mathematics student.They lived apart and rarely saw each other.
Sofia was very lonely and studied all of the time. In 1871, she moved to Berlin to work with a famous mathematician. Women were not allowed to attend the University of Berlin. The mathematician was very surprised when she asked him to teach her. He gave her some problems that even his advanced students could not solve. When Sofia solved the problems, he accepted her as his student immediately. Three years later, Sofia Kovalevsky received her degree in mathematics. During these years, Sofia Kovalevsky worked completely alone. She had no social life. Vladimir, her husband, also lived in Berlin, but they lived apart. After five years of friendship, however, they finally fell in love. In 1878, they had a daughter. Kovalevsky stopped studying.
She wanted to be a good wife and mother. At last she had love and happiness. Vladimir taught at the University of Moscow. After a while, he left his teaching job. He began to have money and job problems. Sadly, he lost all of their money and then committed suicide. Sofia was devastated. A great Swedish mathematician helped Kovalevsky get a job as a mathematics professor in Sweden. She became famous because she was the only woman to be a because she had solved a problem that was very important to science. In 1890, Sofia Kovalevsky became the first woman elected to the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy of Science. Unfortunately, her life and brilliant career ended early. In December 1890, she caught a cold. She got very sick, and she died on February 10, 1891, at the age of 41.
