_Early years of Sofia's Life
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Born in Moscow, Russia into a family with two very well-educated parents, she became the middle child of her family with older sister Anya, and younger brother Fedya. Her father was a general within the Russian army, and with their minor nobility, Sofia and her family were raised within lavish surroundings. Although her name is legally Sofia Kovalevskaya, she has been recognized through the name Sonya Kovalevsky, which she decided to call herself by later in life. Sofia had grown to love mathematics at a very young age, which sparked by her uncle Pyotr Vasilievich Krukovsky, who had a great respect for mathematics and often spoke of the subject to her. With a fondness for the subject she would take time to study her father's old calculus notes that were papered on her nursery wall due to a shortage of wallpaper.
Growing up, Sofia was under the care of a strict governess, who educated her and made it her duty to turn Sofia into a young lady. She was also provided a family tutor Y I Malevich, who she learned her first proper study of mathematics from. From that point on, Sofia began to neglect all other studies, and by age 14 she had taught herself trigonometry.
Born in Moscow, Russia into a family with two very well-educated parents, she became the middle child of her family with older sister Anya, and younger brother Fedya. Her father was a general within the Russian army, and with their minor nobility, Sofia and her family were raised within lavish surroundings. Although her name is legally Sofia Kovalevskaya, she has been recognized through the name Sonya Kovalevsky, which she decided to call herself by later in life. Sofia had grown to love mathematics at a very young age, which sparked by her uncle Pyotr Vasilievich Krukovsky, who had a great respect for mathematics and often spoke of the subject to her. With a fondness for the subject she would take time to study her father's old calculus notes that were papered on her nursery wall due to a shortage of wallpaper.
Growing up, Sofia was under the care of a strict governess, who educated her and made it her duty to turn Sofia into a young lady. She was also provided a family tutor Y I Malevich, who she learned her first proper study of mathematics from. From that point on, Sofia began to neglect all other studies, and by age 14 she had taught herself trigonometry.