Monge

Monge is a French surname most notably associated with Gaspard Monge (1746–1818), a prominent French mathematician and engineer who is regarded as the founder of descriptive geometry. Descriptive geometry provides methods for representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions through projections, forming a foundational discipline for precise engineering drawings and technical visualization. Monge also contributed to early developments in convex and differential geometry and played a significant role in promoting rigorous mathematical approaches within engineering contexts. He helped establish the École Polytechnique, a leading French institution for science and engineering education, during the French Revolution.

In mathematics, several concepts bear the Monge name. Monge’s theorem concerns the collinearity of certain homothety centers associated with three circles in a plane, a result in classical plane geometry. The Monge transport problem, introduced by Gaspard Monge in 1781, is a foundational formulation in the field of optimal transport, seeking the most cost-efficient way to move mass from one distribution to another. Over time, the surname Monge has appeared in various mathematical contexts and in French scientific naming, reflecting the influence of Gaspard Monge on geometry, analysis, and applied mathematics.