Archimedes explained to kids

Archimedes was a famous mathematician who lived in ancient Greece. He is best known for his work on geometry and for his discovery of the principle of buoyancy. Archimedes was born in the city of Syracuse on the island of Sicily in 287 BC. His father was an astronomer and his grandfather was a mathematician. Archimedes studied at the school of Euclid in Alexandria, Egypt. He also spent time in Italy and Sicily. Archimedes is famous for his mathematical work on geometry. He developed a method for finding the area of a circle. He also discovered the principle of buoyancy, which states that an object will float if it is less dense than the fluid it is in. This principle is used today to design boats and other objects that float in water. Archimedes was also a skilled engineer. He designed machines to lift water from the river Nile and to move large ships. He also invented a type of catapult. Archimedes was killed by a Roman soldier in 212 BC during the siege of Syracuse. The soldier was angry because Archimedes had been trying to defend the city.