Carl Friedrich Gauss was a German mathematician and astronomer, born on April 30, 1777, and known for his significant contributions to various fields including number theory, algebra, and astronomy. He is often referred to as one of the greatest mathematicians of all time, recognized for his work on the fundamental theorem of algebra and the discovery of the asteroid Ceres. In the third grade he computed the sum from 1 to 100 in 4 seconds. This is how he did it.