---
title: "4 Herbert Turnbull Quotes"
description: "Herbert Westren Turnbull was an English mathematician. From 1921 to 1950 he was Regius Professor of Mathematics at the University of St Andrews."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/herbert-turnbull-65709_activity_the-usefulness-of-mathematics-in-further_307747.jpg"
---

# Herbert Turnbull

 **4** quotes in **44** categories

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Herbert Westren Turnbull was an English mathematician. From 1921 to 1950 he was Regius Professor of Mathematics at the University of St Andrews.

##  Quotes by Herbert Turnbull

> [The usefulness of mathematics in furthering the sciences is commonly acknowledged: but outside the ranks of the experts there is little inquiry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-turnbull/the-usefulness-of-mathematics-in-furthering-the-sciences-is-commonly/)

Herbert Turnbull

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/herbert-turnbull-65709_activity_the-usefulness-of-mathematics-in-further_307747.jpg)

> [Mathematics transfigures the fortuitous concourse of atoms into the tracery of the finger of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-turnbull/mathematics-transfigures-the-fortuitous-concourse-of-atoms-into-the/)

Herbert Turnbull

[Atoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atoms/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/herbert-turnbull-65709_atoms_mathematics-transfigures-the-fortuitous_338344.jpg)

> [Attaching significance to invariants is an effort to recognize what, because of its form or colour or meaning or otherwise, is important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-turnbull/attaching-significance-to-invariants-is-an-effort-to-recognize-what/)

Herbert Turnbull

[Cambridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cambridge/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/020/herbert-turnbull-65709_cambridge_attaching-significance-to-invariants-is_553390.jpg)

> [Mathematics may humbly help in the market-place, but it also reaches to the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-turnbull/mathematics-may-humbly-help-in-the-market-place-but-it-also-reaches/)

Herbert Turnbull

[Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9af/herbert-turnbull-65709_astronomy_mathematics-may-humbly-help-in-the-marke_1973956.jpg)

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                        "text": "The usefulness of mathematics in furthering the sciences is commonly acknowledged: but outside the ranks of the experts there is little inquiry into its nature and purpose as a deliberate human activity. Doubtless this is due to the inevitable drawback that mathematical study is saturated with technicalities from beginning to end.",
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                        "text": "Attaching significance to invariants is an effort to recognize what, because of its form or colour or meaning or otherwise, is important or significant in what is only trivial or ephemeral. A simple instance of failing in this is provided by the poll-man at Cambridge, who learned perfectly how to factorize a^2 - b^2 but was floored because the examiner unkindly asked for the factors of p^2 - q^2.",
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