The development of calculus was a collaborative effort by several mathematicians over time, but two key figures are most often credited with its formal development: Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
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Isaac Newton (1642-1727) developed his version of calculus in the context of his work on motion and change, introducing concepts such as derivatives and integrals, which he called "fluxions" and "fluents."
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Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) independently developed calculus around the same time as Newton, introducing much of the notation still used today, including the integral sign (∫) and the notation for derivatives (dy/dx).
Both contributed significantly to the foundations of calculus, but their approaches and notations differed. The historical controversy regarding their contributions has been resolved to some extent, with both being recognized for their work.
To honor those who contributed to the development of calculus, it would be appropriate to recognize Newton and Leibniz for their foundational roles, as well as later mathematicians who expanded and formalized the field, such as Augustin-Louis Cauchy, Carl Friedrich Gauss, and Bernhard Riemann, among others.
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